


Mythos: For Glory

by ArtForRogue, chantryscholar



Category: Original Work
Genre: Blood Magic, Erotica, F/M, Graphic Depictions of War, Magic, Mercenaries, Original Character(s), Original work - Freeform, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-23 07:17:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 128,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18148805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtForRogue/pseuds/ArtForRogue, https://archiveofourown.org/users/chantryscholar/pseuds/chantryscholar
Summary: This work is pulled from a RP with chantryscholar that was  a yearish in the making. Slapped it together in a word doc and did a bit of editing. Due to the size the editing was done minimally so if it reads a bit odd, that is why.Join us on this original adventure of magic and mystery!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is pulled from a RP with chantryscholar that was a yearish in the making. Slapped it together in a word doc and did a bit of editing. Due to the size the editing was done minimally so if it reads a bit odd, that is why. 
> 
> Join us on this original adventure of magic and mystery!

The land of Mythos, ancient and still possessing the wild feel of magic that the human realm has long since lost, created as safe haven for those creatures of legend, hunted and killed by intrepid humans wishing to make their mark in legends. The Mother of all, the serpentine Echidna, begged for a safe place for her children to roam and live their lives free from humans, with the gods soon hearing her plea. The realm was created then, with few walkways to tether it to the humans’ realm and keep it in place, allowing for new cultures and races to spring up without fear.

However, the gods only promised safe haven from humans. As Echidna’s children flourished, their differences grew in both appearance and values, while cracks began to show in their once-strong alliances. Dragons took to the warm Southern lands, tired of being used as servants and slaves to the elves in the White City, while dwarves kept locked away in their mountains, fighting fiercely between themselves and refusing to allow others near their mountain halls. Other races learned to keep to themselves while watching the more dominant cultures fight amongst each other. The Whispers took to their dense forests guarding the Southern lands, the harpies their cliffs and the centaurs their rolling plains, while the orcs and goblins took to both underground tunnels or roaming in nomadic clans.

Still, even with the gods making a safe haven, humans could be found trickling through the walkways that tethered Mythos to the human realm. Oddly, most made it clear they weren’t here for hunting or pillaging, simply trying to eke out an existence where they themselves could live freely and safely. These became known as the First People, humans given the gift to wield magic in recognition that they meant no harm and had chosen to live peacefully with the rest of Mythos.

Eventually, an uneasy peace sprung up between the three dominant races, some say forced by Echidna herself before she fell into her sleep beneath the earth. No mother wishes to see her children fighting, and so treaties were established, along with trade and agreements to peace. And with those treaties, the Iron City was built, a thriving metropolis and filled to the brim with a mix of folk. Here, you could find the guilds and those who served in the ranks, allowing for production to be carried out.

And it is here our story begins, in the guildmaster’s office, a sour-faced dwarf looking over a letter, out of many delivered that day. It was hard to ignore the elaborate wax seal that had held the letter shut, marking it as a request from someone all too important to simply ignore. The dwarf muttered as he got to his feet, eyes still glued to the letter, before he pushed open the door and roared, “Someone best find me Arcana or there’ll be hell!”

...

 

As far as days went, today wasn’t the worst. The weather was pleasant, as was the promise of returning home after a mission well done. Arcana Coldiron’s prize hung from her mare’s saddle, wrapped as carefully as a winter’s morning gift, just without the flare and ribbon. As always, Arc appreciated the wonder of an easy job, though she knew those were not what brought home true glory. All the same, it paid.

Arc threw a lazy glance across the flat horizon, the Iron City so terribly close she could practically taste the tell-tale metallic tang in the air. Still...even this close to the city, the land knew trouble. She saw them appear one by one, emerging from the forest’s shade with loud guffaws of laughter. Reining in Button, Arc stopped in the road to watch them gather. They were dirty, obviously poor -- but had clear maliciousness in their eyes, something to offer no pity for.

“What ah pret’little lady, eh, boys?” The leader -- for he sat atop a starving horse, poor thing -- spoke as if his mouth was full of marbles, though he clearly had no trouble running his mouth as he launched into a monologue. “Shouldn’t be travelin lonesome, aren’t cha worried about bandits? Road’s crawlin withem. Pret’little lady like you needs pertection from them --”

“Move, or I will move you.” Arc said her piece but once, gaze cold as she looked down upon them.

The leader shifted, hand resting just above the sword on his belt. “Now now now that’s noway to go atalkin’--” As he continued to yammer on, Arc sighed and raised her hand. Unconcerned with her new actions, the bandit leader still chattered on, doing nothing as Arc slowly drew a summoning rune in the air before her. The only warning of Arc’s intention was the slight shift in her horse, Button, who knew well enough by now to move out of the rune’s way.

“I will not repeat myself again.” Arc spoke slowly, “Move, or I will move you myself.” Her hand hovered over the rune, waiting.

Still they paid her no mind, the others now pulling their swords in anticipation, grins alight on their faces. Common cutpurses, then. There was no need to show mercy.

Arc activated the rune.

One of the bandits screamed in terror, Arc having drawn a dismembered hand from rune before her. She held it loosely, waiting for the owner to finally realize what he was missing. The bandit leader, feeling quite a bit lighter, glanced down only to see his right hand gone and replaced by a stub. He, too, screamed, the other bandits taking a cautious step back at the horror they witnessed.

“Oh, my.” Arc said softly, monotone. “You seem to have lost something. Allow me.” With a flick of the arm the bandit leader had his own hand thrown back at him, the road a sudden chaos of screaming and spurting blood. Death quivered in the air. Hell hath no fury like a pissed woman, Arcana slicing through each bandit as easily as if they were made of paper. They fell one by one, screaming, until all was silent.

With the bandit leader’s head rolling, Arc approached the last man, sword dripping with its gorey prize. “Please, missus, show mercy!” The man pleaded, groveling on the ground for his life. “I have a family! A wife, a daughter, please no!”

Arc paused at that, dismounting from Button with a grunt. She did not sheath her blade, but approached, grinding the heel of her boot into the man’s chest as she leaned close. “You have poor choice in friends.”

“I-I know missus, I know now!” The man near screamed when she dug her heel harder into his flesh. “I’ll never hurt a soul again! Please, please spare me life!”

Arc scoffed at that, “You keep to this road, and I will return with a bounty on your head. You will die like your friend did, family be damned. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, missus, I hear ye. Goddess bless ye, thank ye!” Finally Arc removed her heel from his chest, watching as the man scrambled to his feet and ran back into the forest, still sobbing like a child. Wondering if she would come to regret her act of kindness, Arc instead distracted herself with the gore around her. From Button’s saddle she pulled a few scraps of paper, holding them each to the bandit leader’s decapitated head until there was finally a match.

“At least I’ll get paid for this one.” She muttered, Button snorting in judgemental agreement. “Head should do.” She gathered it in a black pouch, disposing of the remains along the forest’s edge. The spare horse remained, shying away when Arc approached. “Sssh, there’s a good girl. You’re so skinny, it’s terrible. I’ll take good care of you.” Slowly the horse approached, allowing herself to be tied to Button as Arcana Coldiron rode back into the Iron City with her treasures.

“See to it my horse is fed and brushed. Add this other mare to my fee as well; she’ll need more tender care, so hop to it.” Arc dismounted at the Guild and threw her reins to the waiting stableboy, mind on delivering what little news she had to their Guildmaster. With her prizes in hand, Arc entered the Guild and marched straight to his office.

Along the way she deposited the head, gathered her bounty. It was small, but the man had annoyed her enough she might have done it for free -- it was pleasing to know the streets were safer, at the very least. “Balkan” Arc knocked gently on his door, waiting for the signature grunt before pushing inside. “I’ve returned.”

She was aware how she looked -- road worn, with blood still drying on her plated armor. But no matter; Balkan had seen her return in far worse shape before.

The dwarf sat at his desk as he always did, brows furrowed as he barely glanced up at the woman who had entered his office. Piles of papers were stacked all around him, always a joy for the dwarf to go through and have to whittle away--and only once had he succeeded in all the years Arc had known him, the dwarf proudly displaying his clean and empty desk to anyone who came to him. That victory lasted about a week before some fight broke out between two neighboring provinces, the pleas and requests for the guild to help immediately piling up. Balkan never had luck clearing his work again since then.

But a good thing, really. Without hirings, the guild wouldn’t be where it was today. Mythos was, by and large, a lawless land, relying more on local volunteer militias, rather than a standardized sort of law across the land. Even united under the banner of the Empire, each province fought hard for its own independence, its own right to rule itself, and with such variations in people, it was oftentimes easier to do just that. In harder times, if the Rangers would not step in (and largely they didn’t, a group for elves, by elves), the guild would, sending out their men and women. Payment would exchange hands, the job would be completed, and the guild would take its cut. Everyone was happy.

Most of the time, anyway. Balkan was never happy, a grump of a dwarf and as sour a guild leader as one could get. The joke was that he was named guild leader simply because he hated the position so much, viewing it as a position for those who had no idea what it was like in the field, pencil pushing and making bloody stupid decisions. But he excelled in it, using his experience from old fights and missions to decide how to react with new ones.

And now he was finally paying her full attention, glad for a distraction away from the paperwork dominating his life. "Ah, Arcana. Back already? That didn't take very long, did it." The distraction didn't last for long as the dwarf returned to shuffling his papers, dipping a quill in ink to begin scribbling out a reply to a lord of such-and-such. “How did your last job go? Well, I’m assuming. Did more damage than you took?”

Balkan knew he had no troubles with the human. She did her work far better than some, and was professional and courteous to those who hired through the guild. No complaints, no excessive deaths or injuries--he could tolerate her little weapon hunting hobby, provided she remembered her responsibilities. And as of yet, after years of working with her, he had yet to remind her of them. He shuffled his papers further, continuing, “I know you’ve just come back--you were down South, is that correct? Past the Lantern’s Forest.”

"You know you have to write a separate report, Arcana." Balkan said with a long-suffering sigh at the thought. At least he only had to sign off on reports, and someone else had to suffer through reading them. They had to keep things separate, however, to prevent confusion, and to hopefully track any incidents that could be connected. He sighed at her request for news, unsure of how to even start. "There's always something happening. Some strangeness from the North, but that land's so wild, there's always something happening..."

"I do have another job for you. It's not urgent, just yet, so if you need a day to rest, you're more than welcome to it." He said. "But I want you front and center before my desk in at least a day's time to accept it, understand?"

Hesitation. "You're not one to waste words, Balkan, but keeping silent altogether is too severe, even for you." Arc said slowly, trying her best not to work the dwarf into a rage. "There is something you don't want me to know about this job." It was hardly Arc's place as a simple hire to question Balkan's judgement, but as a veteran of 15 years there were things Arc was obligated to be told. Job descriptions were one of those things.

Whatever. It was probably an escort mission if his silence had anything to say about it. Arc very deliberately stopped taking those jobs ages ago, but still found requests littering her mailbox every so often. Those jobs were always transferred somewhere else. "I'll take the day's rest, then. If this job is glorified babysitting..."

"You'll take it, whether you like it or not." Balkan finished for her sternly, giving her a warning look. He well knew of her distaste when it came to escort missions, and so he turned a blind eye whenever the jobs were passed on to someone else. But the nature of the guild was that sometimes a job had to be taken, whether wanted or not. Balkan returned his attention back to the letter he was writing, saying, "You'll find out what your job entails when you're back before me. Dismissed, Coldiron."

That was the last word he'd hear, and it was never wise to push when he had made it clear he was done discussing the topic for now. So, definitely an escort mission, and one she wasn't going to be able to avoid. That meant either it was for someone important or there was a lot of money involved, which meant Balkan wanted his best to take the job. Something of a compliment from the surly dwarf, as he'd certainly never say so verbally.

Arc stepped from Balkan's office and closed his door gently, murmuring her farewell. Then it would be time to find Resm'iel and gather their supplies. Having a vague idea of where the blood elf might be, Arc returned to her apartment first to strip off her armor and change into something a little more casual. Wiggling into her trousers, Arc laced herself up until she looked somewhat presentable -- long, red hair loose on her shoulders, bosom straining against the form-fitting shirt. It would do, for now, especially when entering a bar.

Entering the Loosey Goosey, Arc paused at the entrance for only a moment before she spotted Resm. He was an easy one to pick from the crowd, tall and dark, with a startling head of white hair. He was a regal blood elf, through-and-through, an ancient being living in modern times all wrapped up in the skinny body of a 28-year old. Arc and Resm were best friends -- had been, since she found him in those cryptic ruins. First as a cursed sword, and then again as a free elf. She smiled a bit at the sight of her friend at the gambling table, his many tattoos illuminating with each pass of cards. If they weren't careful, he'd call out the cheaters of the group.

Since Resm seemed settled, Arc decided to join him after getting a drink herself. She leaned against the bar and called to the bartender, who greeted her with a familiar smile and a call of, "The regular, Ms. Arcana?" As she waited for her beer, Arc let her blue-eyed gaze wander the room.

It was the usual crowd that day--men and women kicking their feet up after a long day at work, nursing a few drinks and chatting easily with one another, card players trying to eye Resm and see if they could pick up his tells in order to win, the usual drunks who nodded off in the corner, drink sloshing down their pants. A few strangers here and there, those who would move on, quick as you please, soon forgotten. Most of them, anyway. One man soon left his spot at the fireplace to sit at the bar, anyone standing soon moving out of his way, as if not wanting to be the one stuck between him and his goal. He sat about a yard away from Arc, lifting a hand to get the bartender's attention for his own order.

Just a quick look at him said he wasn't a man from the city. Deeply tanned, wearing nothing but a kilt and a ragged pair of boots, the man looked more at home in the woods than he did in the bar, and yet there he was, ordering a red ale, ignoring the curious glances he was getting from plenty of women, and some of the men as well. Small wonder. He had a rugged sort of handsomeness to him, a sort of 'hairy lumberjack' appeal for those who liked their men thick and bearded.

Arc felt the tension move and settle near her at the bar, lesser individuals mumbling to themselves as they moved away. Her eyes were drawn to him immediately, mostly because she felt a sense of danger about him. Anyone who didn't bother with armor was either stupid or dangerous, and the way the man before her handled himself, well, it put off some warning signs.

Arc was served first, thanking the bartender softly as he handed her her two mugs of beer. Against all better judgement, and the noticeable tension in the room, she walked the short yard to the bearded man's side and asked, softly, "You're not from around here, are you?"

In mid-sip, he glanced her way, pausing a moment as he took all of her in. He certainly wasn't the first man to do so, and wouldn't likely be the last. Setting down the glass, he wiped the foam from his beard, voice more of a rumbling growl than anything else as he said, "No. Stopping in, from up north."

That explained the kilt then. Humans were more common the further South a person traveled, descended from those who looked for fertile ground to grow their crops and raise their children. But those who remained up north, they kept more to the old ways, wearing furs and kilts, painting streaks of blue into their skin. Traditions kept by their ancestors, the ones dubbed the Lost by historians--humans who just suddenly appeared in Mythos, taking to the land as easily as a duck took to water.

The man pushed the glass aside. "Something you want?"

An excellent question. Arc hadn't missed the lazy one-over in the beginning, nor the rumble in his voice that could have alluded to literally any emotion. So she stood here, before a stranger, holding two cups of beer that were starting to foam a bit over the lip and spill onto her hands. Great. "You just....look to be an adventurer. Would you like to join us at cards? My friend and I -- we're adventurers ourselves." She fumbled for a moment, damning herself and damning this handsome man for making her act like an idiot. Normally there was so little care in her actions.

Not that it had been so long ago since she last felt the warm embrace of another person. A few months, maybe more, but only for one night. Arc traveled too much to keep with anyone who didn't adventure, and those that did typically had to go in the opposite direction. It was a hassle and not always worth it, but something softened in Arc the longer she looked at this man. Like it was something meant to be. "So?"

He rubbed a hand into his beard, considering her offer thoughtfully. Here he was thinking he had heard every line in the book. Not that it didn't pique his interest, but...well, not likely the safest bet, putting himself into that position, for himself or the woman and her friend. He'd just have to let her down easily, he decided, a touch of reluctance hitting him. Gods, what he wouldn't give for a night. It had been too long.

"Look...I'm sure you and your friend are...quite the adventurous types and all, and I can't say I'm not tempted, but." He patted the pouch to his side, where only a few coins jingled in waiting. "I can barely afford you, let alone two of you for a night." He turned back to his drink, adding gruffly, "Keep trying. Maybe work on the lines a bit more, huh? That one was a bit weak."

At first Arc thought Ben was gently turning her down -- which was fine and all, the card table was busy and she'd have to squeeze in as it was, a task significantly more difficult when placing this stranger into the mix. Then he patted his coinpurse. Then he mentioned 'affording her'. Then he had the gall to insult her invitation. Arc's blood was boiling as she slammed her two mugs on the bar, the noise enough to draw the attention of those immediately near, the bartender included.

"You think I'm a prostitute?" Resm's mug saved for the moment, Arc slammed her's into the side of the stranger's head, a fight erupting immediately in the Loosey Goosey. Beer exploded from the broken mug, spilling all over the floor as Arc launched herself at the man who insulted her honor. Fortunately for her, Resm was there to grab her up before she did anything stupid, a sea of men and women brawling separating the two original fighters as Resm dragged Arc out the door.

They stood before Balkan the next day, Arc with a split lip and Resm with the beginning of a bruise blooming along his jaw. The judgmental silence was awful.

He wasn't looking at either of them, which was the worst part. Instead, he was focused on the bill placed on his desk, accounting for three broken tables, eight broken chairs, and a medical bill for someone with a cracked skull. The barman had been very, very firm about the guild paying for damages, or he'd be taking it to the Council for them to settle--easily one of the dwarf's top ten in nightmares.

Balkan drew a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. Now he didn't feel quite so sorry in giving Arcana the escort mission. "You know, I'd like to think the mouthy child who used to run errands for me would not get into a bar fight at her age." He refused to hear any explanation, cutting off any attempts with an irritable wave of his hand. "No matter. We'll put the coin forward and hope this is all that we have to hear of the matter. For now, you've got work."

A bound scroll was pushed forward, Balkan explaining, "You'll be escorting a brother and sister to the North. They've promised quite the amount of coin to the Guild, to keep them safe and well out of hand while you take them along." Balkan sat back, lacing his thick fingers together as he continued, "They'll be able to tell you more once you meet with them, I suspect, but the destination is some old temple in those parts. I'd say it's a pilgrimage but holy folks aren't known for this sort of coin, so I'm thinking it's right up your alley. What with your whole--artifacts thing. Might be an attempt at finding some mystical gewgaw or something, who knows."

Balkan's eyes glanced over Resm, the old dwarf able to hear rumors and whispers enough to hazard a few guesses. "Luckily, the pair weren't staying at the Loosey Goosey. You'll meet them at the Troll's Bridge Inn, so ask for a..." He paused and checked the letter. "Brandt. I'm sure the innkeeper will get you acquainted. And try not to start any damned bar fights this time around, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Guildmaster." Their reply was soft, chastised, and in unison. The two guildmembers left as soon as they grabbed the bound scroll, Arc feeling a bit like she had just been scolded by her father. Her second father, in any case. "We can't fuck up this mission." She grumbled as Resm handed her the scroll, blue eyes skimming for big-picture information. "You know I hate escorts, but at least the route seems fairly straightforward -- provided there's no snow to hinder our way."

Reaching the stables, Arc climbed atop Button while Resm pulled his own dark mare free from her pen. "The Troll's Bridge Inn...a odd place to stay, in the Iron City."

"Perhaps the Loosey Goosey was too strange a name? Either way, it worked in our favor." Arc clicked softly to Button and they were off, heading down the street in the direction of the twins. "Goddess knows Balkan would dump us then and there if we had injured the clients last night."

"Rightfully so." Resm chuckled, thinking of last night. "You were...uncharacteristically quick to anger last night. Balkan said it was expected, but I know you are more level-headed than that." Resm was fairly level-headed himself, but it was often Arc who had to pull him back from dangerous situations. She had more experience in the field than he, after all. "He implied you were a prostitute? Hardly the worst thing to be called -- the Iron City prostitutes are quite lovely, at times."

Arc guffawed at that. "Says a man who never has to worry about being mistaken for a prostitute. Last night was...I would blame the beer, but I had none. Not only did he think I was a prostitute, but a poorly-trained one at that. He said my pick-up lines were weak."

"They are." Resm clipped with a dashing smile.

"I was trying to be friendly, not sneak into his bed." Arc mumbled, glad when the Troll's Bridge Inn came into view. "No mentioning this in front of the clients." Resm waited outside with the horses while Arc entered the inn, going up to the innkeeper as instructed to ask about the pair.

It was a quiet inn, barely anyone inside besides one or two regulars, and the innkeeper practically jumped at the chance for a paying customer. But seeing that she was only here for his guests, he hid his disappointment and waved a hand towards the stairs that led to the guest rooms. Most of the rooms had open doors but one, down at the far end, where muffled voices could be heard through the wood. At a knock, the voices hushed like a candle flame going out, the door creaking open just a crack for someone to peek through. The voice was soft, carrying a heavy accent. "What is it you want?"

"My name is Arcana Coldiron. I come on behalf of my Guild to complete a contract posted for an armed escort into the north." Arc held out the bound scroll and waited, cautious of their secrecy. As much gold as they had put down, there had to be some means for them to go about getting it -- means that may be best hidden in the shadows.

Of course, Arc at least looked the part of someone visiting from the guild; with her steel armor set and badge on her breast. Most looked past her armor to her stunning good looks -- her long red hair, her striking blue eyes, her full figure. A guild member hardly seemed an appropriate occupation for someone so striking, but Arc proved you could be killer in both aspects. "Are you the twins I seek?"

"Ah--yes!" The voice grew startled, before the door was yanked open, the earlier hesitation gone. That soft voice belonged to a young woman, trying to smile past the split lip she sported, coupled with a rather nasty black eye and a darkening bruise against the grey skin. Small wonder she had been so hesitant to open the door earlier. Whoever had landed the blows had hit hard, and recent enough that the bruises were still fresh.

In the room behind her, her twin sat, looking as battered as his sister, but just as relieved to see Arc standing there. The similarities between the two didn't extend much beyond the grey skin and drooping ears--and a hint of scales here and there, whenever the glow from the fire hit just right--the girl was broad, thickly built with callused hands, looking as if she belonged on a farm raising pigs and goats, while her brother was thin, slightly taller than Arc, and with delicate fingers that looked well suited to playing some sort of stringed instrument. Shutting the door behind Arc, the sister shared a glance with her brother, before she began, "That is--to say, we are. I am Ursula, and this is my brother Solomon. Please, ah...will you sit? We have food, drink, we can share."

"It's not very good." Solomon said, showing his teeth in a smile. Sharp, jagged. Coupled with the scales, the drooping ears--the twins were half-bloods, likely from dragon stock. Ursula gave him an impatient look as he shrugged, his own speech not quite as accented as his sister's as he said, "What? Uschi, it's terrible."

He glanced at Arc, shifting against the wood of his chair. "Sorry about the greeting. We didn't think the Guild would act so quickly."

"It's understandable -- but I will pass on food and drink, as should you. It would be best that we leave now, while the air is still cool." Arc did not hide her surprise at the wounds on Ursula's face, the split lip a commonality between the two of them at the moment. She passed her gaze over to Solomon, noting that it was not he who had landed the blows -- he wouldn't win the fight, for one, and his knuckles were too clean to have landed fresh blows. "Your injuries...do you need them tended to? My partner outside knows a bit of healing magic."

"No" and "yes" came immediately from the twins in unison, both glancing at each other sheepishly before Solomon said, "We'd appreciate that. But...I know we only paid for an escort, so if it's too much, then we'll be fine."

Ursula didn't bother to hide the uncomfortable look she held when it came to healing magic, standing to grab their bags. All packed and ready to go, despite their surprise at Arc's appearance. Both wanted out fast, stepping out of the room once Solomon left a tip for the innkeeper. He took his bag from Ursula, throwing it over his back, and glanced back at Arc. "Right, so...meet you at the stables? We have to get our horses ready."

Ah. Arc wondered what caused these two to enter this situation, truly, if they had such an exuberant amount of money to spend on a job listing but not a copper more to mend some bruises. "It'll be free of charge, no worries. My partner is waiting outside -- it's good you have your own horses. That will speed things along." With a nod, Arc exited their room to join Resm outside, explaining the situation to him in a hushed tone as the twins readied themselves for the trip. They both wondered aloud about Ursula's inflictions, and Resm quickly agreed to heal her if she so wished.

The twins soon joined them, Ursula leading out the two horses while Solomon looked over a small map, muttering, "--the innkeeper said if we take this route, we could get there before first snow. I really don't fancy being stuck in a snowbank like last time, Uschi." His sister passed the reins to one hand, tugging lightly at his ear. "Relax. Even if it does snow, I'll dig you out."

Solomon sniffed slightly and swatted her hand away, stowing the map into his bag. "Eventually. Right--Miss Arcana!" Quickening his pace, he was soon at her side, beckoning for Ursula to move a bit faster. "Sorry for the wait, the horses didn't want to cooperate too much with us." His eyes raked down Resm, a bit curious about his appearance. "You said...this was your friend, right? With the healing? My sister said she'd allow it."

Ursula tied their packs to her horse's saddle, glancing in Resm's direction. Her mouth tightened slightly, but she nodded. "...If it's quick. Miss Coldiron says we should move quickly, so I'll stick to her advice."

"My name is Resm'iel. A pleasure, the both of you. By all means, call me Resm and Arcana 'Arc'. It makes things more...friendly." Though his words were more friendly and warm than Arc's, it was still a strange sight indeed when his tattoos glowed a soft white. He stepped towards Ursula and motioned for her to sit down on a nearby stump, eyes curiously moving about her face as he examined the extent of her wounds. "A brave woman, to hold onto these stubbornly."

He lifted one hand and touched under her bruised eye gently, tattoos glowing a deep red as he worked his magic. Arc did not bother to watch, instead hooking the twins' horses to their own while they were distracted by the lights on Resm'iel's skin. The blood magic did sting a touch, as all healing magic did, but it had an aftertaste like mint and felt soothing after each initial prick.

It took him hardly any time to heal Ursula's face, the woman's skin now smooth and unmarred by bruises. "There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Resm gave the young woman a smile and nodded to the horses. "Let's get you two saddled up."

Ursula averted her eyes during the healing, and once done, ran her hand over the unmarred skin, still finding it hard to believe the steady aches and throbs were gone. She muttered her thanks as she stood, before hurrying to help Arc with the saddles, able to fit them with a practiced hand. Solomon stepped forward for his turn, a sigh of relief when he no longer had to deal with the split lip, and said, "Stings a bit, but far better than waiting to heal up, right?"

He turned to his sister for agreement, only getting a vague mutter as she fitted his horse with a blanket and saddle. Solomon huffed slightly, ears flicking back, before he added his own thanks. "Well, I appreciate it, anyway. I'm sure my sister does too." He looked Resm over curiously as he backed up a bit, Ursula going to help him up into the saddle. "So, uh...if you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you?"

"Sol!" Ursula made an exasperated noise, mounting her own horse. Solomon gave her a defensive look. "It's a simple question! Don't tell me you weren't wondering the same thing." The sideways glance he received was answer enough, Solomon snorting under his breath. "Right, see?"

"I'm used to meeting fledgling adults with better manners." Resm chuckled, going to mount his own horse with fluid ease. "I told you, my name is Resm'iel."

"You know that isn't what they're asking, Resm." Arc snorted. She moved to help Ursula, impressed to see the woman knew how to fit her horse properly. Once the twins were finally mounted, Arc took her place at the head of the group, patting Button's flank to get the mare moving.

Resm, at the very end of the group, glanced back warily for searching eyes and sighed. "It stands to reason they've never seen a blood elf."

"None are quite like you, besides." Arc adjusted her sword and took better grip of Button's reins.

"Or as old. I was frozen in time for a bit -- no doubt you've heard of the Throne's latest scandal? I'm the Uncle that was ungracious enough to pop up after being missing for 1000 some years." Resm chuckled, his tattoos flickering briefly. "Thankfully for me that was settled easily enough..."

"I think I remember that." Solomon said, eyes wide to hear of the age of the elf riding beside him. "We don't really pay much attention to news if it's not from the South, but it reached even there." He laughed, nudging lightly at his horse's side to move her along, as she stopped here and there for a nibble at the grass lining the road. "Well, er, looking good for being over a thousand years old, right?"

As they reached the Iron City's gates, the four had to squeeze together, their horses nickering nervously by the crowds swarming through the gates. Ursula eyed some of the bedraggled appearances, the desperate look in some of the people's eyes as they rode through. Eventually, the crowd thinned out as they reached the open road, but they could still see others coming, wanting to reach the safety of the Iron City. She shifted in her saddle, murmuring something to Solomon, her twin nodding quietly in agreement. He cleared his throat, asking, "Miss--er, Arc. What's the safest route to get to our destination?"

"And the quickest." Ursula said softly, eyes still on the road. Solomon sighed, adding, "We'll go as quick as it's safe, Uschi, and to Arc's instructions. That was the whole point of hiring her."

Well, everyone took to the news differently. Resm was slightly grateful that these twins didn't seem too terribly shocked. Either way, it was Solomon that was doing all the talking, his female counterpart still keeping to herself. It seemed a good idea for the moment, Resm taking the time to gently nudge the crowd from his horse's flank. More people were swarming to the Iron City than leaving -- making them outliers immediately.

"The safest way right now is the main road." Arc called from the front. "It's well traveled, and we're likely to see trouble before stumbling into it. As we pass through rougher territory, however, these main roads will be lined with dangerous bandits." She raised her hand and traced the curve of the road leading into thick forests, way in the distance. "Nothing we can't handle, but I'd rather avoid having you two thrown into a battle. Is there a certain timeline you're hoping to meet? Because I cannot promise anything yet." She glanced back at the two, curiosity and suspicion alight in her blue eyes.

Neither spotted the suspicion aimed their way. Ursula spoke up, rather than simply to just her brother, as she said, "We do not have a set time that we need to arrive, but...my personal preference is as quickly as we can." She was reluctant to agree with Solomon. "But my brother is right. We...asked for an escort to take us as safely as possible. Losing time is better than losing a fight. We will follow your instructions and suggestions as well as we can."

She glanced to her twin to see if he was satisfied with her answer, and judging by the firm nod, he was. He reached over the gap between their horses, tugging lightly at her sleeve. "Besides, we know the temple isn't going anywhere, any time soon." He laughed quietly. "And while my sister can handle herself in a fight, a battle's another thing entirely, and one I would like to avoid."

"A schoolyard skirmish, maybe." Arc didn't sound convinced, and Resm's resounding laughter in the back only made the comment more sour. The farther they traveled from the Iron City, the less pilgrims they encountered. A few stopped and asked how much farther the City was, or if they had coin to spare, and Arc sent them on their way with a kind word but nothing more. Most were grateful for whatever she gave.

"Why are so many traveling from the North?" She asked aloud, glancing back at the traveling crew. "The Iron City is a place of opportunity, yes, but it does not welcome all with open arms. They are fools if they think they will all prosper there."

"They're looking to survive." Ursula said, in a matter-of-fact tone. She wasn't about to guess as to why the travelers were coming in such numbers, but she knew the look in their eyes too well. That they came from the North was concerning, but until they heard of any news, she didn't want to dwell on what might be in their future. Nudging her mare to pick up the pace, she added, "Your city will push them on eventually. They'll continue South, where they might be better off."

"Most of them, anyway." Solomon said, glancing over his shoulder. "The elves might want to tough it out in the city than go into dragon territory."

"Can hardly blame them for that." Resm quipped from the back of the group, ultimately ignored when Arc spoke immediately after,

"There's a lot of rough land out there. If they don't make it in the city, they certainly won't make it in the wild." Arc pressed Button forward, the mare picking up her pace as they continued down the road. "We'd need to find an inn to learn anything of the North."

"An inn would just mix up the information with rumor and superstition. We need an information broker." Resm held a fair point but that didn't make the task any easier to carry out. An inn would be easy to find -- reliable information, not so much. And an information broker they could trust? As if. Knowing what was rumbling in the North would be good to know, but there were no more traveling at this time of day, and Arc doubted they would see anyone living for the remainder of said day. "

Well...be as it may. Let me know if you two need to stop and rest. I'll not push you on the first day."

It was starting to get dark. But both looked reluctant to stop and hope to find an inn, when it felt as if they were just starting out. Solomon shook his head, a bit stubborn, as he said, "Let's just press on, just for a bit longer. We're fine, Arc, I promise."

Ursula snorted, murmuring under her breath, "If she doubts we can handle even a schoolyard skirmish, perhaps we listen to her, Solomon. We find an inn, we get an early start in the morning." And hopefully with news from the North. She wanted to keep going as much as Solomon did, but not without a vague inkling of what they faced. Solomon sighed and tugged out the map to look it over, using the remaining light from the sun before it could sink below the mountains. "Fine. So...per your contract, we pay for food and lodging. I'm going out on a limb to say the inns will likely be packed, if the people out on the road today were of any indication. You two comfortable sharing a room? Or we can split by gender, it really doesn't matter..."

Solomon found an inn carefully placed on the map, just a few more hours' ride. They would make it just at the first touch of nightfall, thank the Goddess. Righting the train of horses, Arc flipped back her thick, red hair and lifted her chin proudly. It was Resm, however, that spoke. "We'll separate by sex. That way you can have protect into the night -- my ears are long, but I hear better when it's my door being thrown open."

"Agreed." Arc leaned back on Button's rump and stared down at Ursula. "If you're okay with that, Ursula?" Assuming the woman would be fine, they continued on, sweat just starting to streak down the back of Arc's neck when they finally reached the first inn they hit. Like Solomon had predicted, it was packed, and unfortunately noisy. Arc gave the room a one-over while the twins paid, hand resting casually on her sword.

Two points of entry--the doorway and the window for Resm and Solomon's room, and the doorway for Ursula and Arc. Solomon somehow managed to convince the innkeeper to deliver their food to the ladies' room, rather than forcing them all to sit in the bar and have to fight for room at a communal table, and so dinner was delivered in no short order. All four soon had their own helpings of creamy soup, dished into a bread bowl that could be used to soak up anything left, and a local wine brewed from the peach trees kept behind the inn. Once the door was shut, the noise from below was effectively filtered out--a good sign for bedtime, when they would want peace and quiet.

Ursula listened to the muffled voices from below as they ate, ears twitching every so often. Solomon laughed and nudged her, saying, "Relax, would you? Let's eat." She started and nodded, before Solomon turned his gaze back to Arcana. "So...what's it like? Working under the Guild and all. Do you get many interesting stories?"

"Excellently managed for a local place." Resm lifted the bottle to the light and squinted at the color of the glass. "The quality will, unfortunately, continuously drop from this point forward."

"You must have paid a pretty penny for this sort of service." Arc spooned around in her soup, delighted when she found no 'mystery' meat floating conspicuously. "Make sure to save your coin when you can -- I still have a few tricks to play." Neither one of the Guild members looked like they had an interest to drop their armor any time soon, despite being in a secure location, and with the need to prepare for the night.

"You're the one with the better memory, Resm." Arc sipped on her soup while Resm thought back, his tattoos glowing faintly with the release of memory magic.

"When we first met?" That didn't sit well with Arc, though, and she just shook her head.

"Then the Blue Brothers. They were a nasty breed of con-men, not actually related, either, working in the undergrounds of Whiterun. They had even the city's chief wrapped around their fingers, though he was loathe to be there, obviously -- he hired us to capture them. So we had to don disguises, take fake names, even dye our hair..."

"I was a terrible blond." Arc snorted with the memory.

"I was an even worse red-head. Arc has the brawn and I have the brains, so we were naturally an asset to the team. Proving ourselves to be loyal was....interesting, to say the least."

"We had to make a secret handshake." Arc wiggled her fingers at the memory, Resm instantly mirroring her. "Which is by far the most ridiculous thing I've ever had to do for a man."

The night dissolved into a few more quirky tales, more wine, and even a few bouts of laughter. When it grew late, Resm took Solomon to his room and left the women be, Arc finally going about the process of stripping off her armor.

Ursula simply kicked off her boots, sinking into the bed with a tired groan. The noise downstairs had finally quieted a bit, travelers long since sleeping in their rooms, and now she felt like she could finally get a good night's sleep. She allowed the tension to drain from her body, now glad she had taken Solomon's advice to hire through the guild. It felt safer, rather than traveling by themselves, and Arcana looked more than capable of handling anything thrown at her.

Not that she wanted that, of course. Better that their trip go as smoothly as possible. Ursula moved to tuck herself into the bed, the duvet swaddled around her like a cocoon as she kept herself sitting up. On her own, it was almost uncomfortable to be with Arcana, unsure of what to do or say, when her brother usually acted as spokesman between them. Finally, she spoke, voice quiet and soft in the bedroom. "I don't think I said thank you yet, for taking on this job. I know my brother appreciates it, and I do as well."

"Oh." Arc paused, her breastplate noisy against the wood even when she placed it so gently on the ground. "You're welcome. I don't...normally do escort jobs." She un-buttoned her undershirt bit by bit, still with her back turned to Ursula. "But I think this will be of no issue." Finally she stripped off her shirt, the fabric revealing a web of scars old and new on Arcana's back, the sight as telling as any story shared earlier that night. She bent to pull on her pajamas, glancing once more to Ursula. "Get some rest. The trek tomorrow will be tiring."

Ursula was staring openly, quickly averting her gaze as Arc spoke. The woman was a hard one, that was clear enough, to wear such scars and to keep on working for the guild. At her instructions, Ursula nodded and turned to the wall, soon curled up under the duvet, her breathing steadying out as she fell asleep. Dreams swirled and shifted that night, memories flickering and melting into one another, until a distant rooster crowing jerked the dragon from sleep. She grunted, pushing herself up from the bed, fumbling for her boots to slip on, still half asleep.

Some things never changed, no matter how many years it had been. She couldn't shake the habit of rising early, splashing water against her face to wake her up, while her ears flicked at the sound of movement from the rooms around her. Others were rising early as well, but likely not her brother. Ursula snorted under her breath as she steadied her boot against a nearby chair, tightening the laces as she muttered, "May Resm be up to the task of dragging Sol out of bed..."

"Morning already?" Arc was slow to rise as well, only stirring once Ursula started to mutter to herself. The woman was still lying in bed, red hair spread about her like an explosion of red blossoms. Finally she stood and readied herself for the day, smiling when she heard the groan from the otherside of the wall -- seems Solomon was waking to find Resm already prepared and doing his morning stretches. She too, hated to see that first thing in the morning.

After a quick breakfast downstairs and a pat-down of their horses, the four comrades were back on the morning road, the sun only just now starting to peek over the horizon. In the early part of their day, Arc and Resm were quiet, probably to honor the fact that Arc was still blinking sleep from her eyes. But once the woman had shaken off the morning blues, they fell into a game of sorts, constructing sentences of a story that had to start with the last word of the other player's sentence. It worked rather well to pass the time, especially when they taught the twins how to play and let them join in.

Hours passed in easy company before they finally stopped for lunch by a tiny creek, Arc summoning them sandwiches while Resm cracked open some nuts lying about a nearby walnut tree. "Less travelers, this far out." Arc noted before she bit into her ham and cheese.

"Good. Less crowds on the road." Solomon said, rolling his pant legs up after he kicked off his boots, allowing his feet to cool off in the creek's clear water. He sighed happily and flopped back against the ground, eyes closed as he listened to the birdsong that filtered through the trees. Ursula rested against the walnut tree, a hand sneaking out when Resm wasn't looking to pop a few of the cracked nuts into her mouth. She watched the beams of sunlight filtering through the trees, a soft sigh escaping her. "Travelers or not, this is nice. I hope the weather holds up like this."

"I'm not sure what the weather is supposed to be like in the Northern realm, come these next few days. If the days will be anything like the past, then I would say it should be mild," Resm's tattoos glowed for a moment, and the elf nodded with a smile, "with a slight chance of snow. It all depends on how swift we are."

"Snow would be a good thing to avoid, but there are some nice sights along this path." Arc finished her sandwich and licked her fingers clean, about to reach for her sword when Resm gently pulled it for himself. Giving him a questioning look, Arc only had to wait a few moments before Resm made his intentions known -- by placing an apple on a stump and attempting to cut it in half. Arc's hand gripped his wrist before he could lay the executing blow. "Oh hells no, I know you weren't about to use my steel as a goddamn apple slicer." The words came out in a hiss, actual rage on Arc's face.

Resm did not seem frightened in the least. "We've had this conversation before. It is sharp, and I've a need to cut the apples to check for imperfections."

"You let go before I use this sword as a way to widen that tight as--" Arc caught herself, breathing out softly before saying. "Resm, this sword is easily rank S with the blue-steel finish and tri-cut edge, an edge so razor sharp you are more likely to cut through the apple and the stump than do anything good. It is worth more than you or me, and I've held it for as long as I've been in the Guild. It also means a lot to me -- I would appreciate it if you did not use it for mundane tasks."

Resm smiled and held it to her, hilt-extended. "You're getting better about this."

"I don't like having a lesson made of me in front of the client." Arc huffed, sheathing her sword as sweetly as a mother would.

Both of which were just staring at the two as this entire exchange went on, sharing a bemused look once Arc sheathed her sword. Solomon made a small mental note to never, ever touch Arc's steel if he could help it, and tucked it away in the back of his mind, all the while saying, "Well, you certainly know your way around a sword, don't you? I heard what you said but I don't think I could understand heads or tails of it. Does the guild teach you all that jargon or do you just make it up on the spot?"

He meant it as a teasing joke, just a bit of light ribbing. Ursula shook her head as she pulled a small knife from her belt, passing it to Resm. It had been a little funny, and she couldn't help adding, "A knife is a knife, no matter how big, Arc. If you don't want it to get sticky with apple juice, you only have to say."

 

"Don't say that too often, kids, or she'll show you just how well she knows how to use a 'knife'." Resm chuckled, taking the offering from Ursula and started to cut through his apple.

"I don't just know the 'jargon'. I know the elements of all weaponry. As I well should, being a battlemage." Arc took her seat again and watched Resm slice through the apple, offering Arc the first piece on the end of his knife. She leaned close and bit down, the act somewhat intimate even though they were only friends. "Give me a sword, a bow, an axe, and I will show you how a master wields a weapon." Funnily enough Arc didn't even sound like she was bragging -- she was still watching Resm dice the apple into clean chunks for sharing. "What magic I do have, I use to summon the weapon that best suits the situation. Teleportation magic has its uses, despite the surface mundane quality."

"You know magic?" Ursula asked, a bit surprised. It was a rarity with humans, despite their presence in Mythos. She expected it with Resm--he screamed mystical in his appearance, and while she could easily see Arc weilding any weapon she chose, it was just a bit harder to see her wielding magic in the same sense. She shifted against the tree, ears twitching as she looked at the woman with open curiosity. "What is it like? Were you born with it, or did you learn it...?"

Both were possibilities. She knew of dragons, most, if not all, born with some sort of base magic. Elemental, raw and primal, most channeling it into the fiery breath dragons were so famous for. The Southern elves that worked alongside dragons, preferred to learn it, and due to their efforts of study and research, formed the backbone to the arcane arts--something their cousins in the rest of the land didn't enjoy reminders. But humans were an oddity, an unknown, regardless of their presence in Mythos.

And from where she sat, from her own life, it was simply an impossibility. The stuff of faerie tales. But one had unfolded before her and her brother for years now.

"Born with it; though we're not really sure where it came from. No one in my immediate family have even a lick of it, much less enough to do anything with it." Arc thought with her magic, seeing was believing, and quickly drew a rune in the air before her. It activated by glowing white faintly, spinning until it opened completely. The water jug once sitting on the ground beside Solomon vibrated violently before disappearing into another rune that appeared underneath it -- and landed in Arc's open hand.

"It has a threshold, though -- I can only summon once every thirty minutes or so, depending on the size of the object. I can grab multiple objects, but it just means I have a greater chance of something unwelcome falling into my hand." Arc uncorked the water jug and took a drink, twisting the bottle closed before continuing. "Resm magnifies magic naturally, so he speeds up my recovery time." With a flick of her wrist, the jug was back where it had been originally placed, albeit it topped over as soon as it landed. "So I summon weapons this way from my storehouse back home -- just have to be careful to know what's where."

"...and no living things. Nothing living is allowed through these runes unless I have the intention of harm. It's....50/50 if they make it through alive. It's not pretty."

"Well, that takes teleporting to our destination out of the equation." Solomon said, righting the water jug, despite its contents seeping into the dirt. Ursula frowned, looking to Resm. "You...magnify magic? I've never heard of such a thing."

Despite herself, she wanted to learn more, ignoring the look she was getting from her twin. Later there'd be hissed words and pinching between the two of them, like there always was when one thought the other was being a bit of a fool, but having an audience curtailed that desire from him. It wasn't hurting anyone for her to ask, and it wasn't as if she planned on changing her mind, just because she wanted to know. Still, she offered an apology, saying, "I'm sorry if I am prying. This is all new to us, you see? And I would like to learn."

"This might be too much to take in, even for such an eager student. There is a lot to us -- being the strange duo we are." Arc snorted and rolled her eyes, thinking aloud as she said, "And things are only bound to get weirder."

"I'm afraid Arcana is correct." Arc lifted her mug in thanks, though Resm was not looking at her. No, his eyes were turned to Ursula, his gaze quiet unsettling when his tattoos almost seemed to be seeing as well. "But you are hardly prying. Magical beings are a fascinating bunch. I would be a touch more concerned if you weren't curious -- my pride wounded a bit, as well. But yes, I magnify magic. It is but one of my subconscious powers, honed and perfected over several years of mutations in my family's alchemic lab. The blood elves of old were...adventurous in their pursuit of knowledge. If I willed it, Arc could summon a thousand of her swords with little sweat. However, the magical counterbalancing would surely tear her limb from limb so -- just minor magnification."

She didn't know what to expect with his answer, but talk of mutations and labs was the furthest thing for her to consider in a possible answer. Disquieted, she could only nod, fingers brushing against Solomon's--a favor asked, to speak when she couldn't. He just barely nodded, smoothing over his sister's lack of response with his own, as he said, "Well, all the better for us. I don't imagine you want to tear your friend limb from limb, and I doubt she feels any different, and we certainly don't want to lose our guide."

"Still, quite the talent." He said mildly, eyebrows raised. "Must have gotten you both out of some tough spots."

"One or two, I suppose." Resm smiled at the thought and glanced towards Arc. "With more than a fair share of bluffing between us at critical moments. Once, even though Arc was completely at her magical limit, she threatened to transport a whole group of bandits 100 feet up. It would have been quite the sight, no?"

"It's more useful when you've been poisoned." Arc glanced to the twins with a frown, knowing they had already eaten and had a drink from the creek. "If you're not sure about a food source, best let Resm try a bit. His body has a handy way of letting him know it's poisoned or bad without killing him, so. Better than I can do, anyway."

"Yes, by all means offer me as the taste-tester, Arc." Resm said dryly, popping a bit of apple into his mouth. "What of you, twins? You have a touch of magic?"

"Most dragons do, but...we're only half." Ursula said with a small shrug. "So we only have a small talent between us." Solomon shrugged as he stowed the now dried pitcher in his bag, saying, "But it's useful, in little ways. Our mother taught us, when she was still alive. Uschi can open things, and I can close them." He laughed, nudging his sister. "Mama learned quickly she couldn't put locks on the cabinets whenever she would buy marzipan in town."

The memory earned a smile from Ursula. "She just had to use the old method of keeping it out of our reach, I remember." She glanced back to Resm, saying, "It's all we can really do. No breathing flames, no raising the earth, no ice storms. Just...opening and closing things."

"Might come in handy if we find a locked door." Arc noted, as interested as she could manage about such a mundane type of magic.

"Or if we need to close one ourselves. Unfortunately for you, magic tends to be fickle like that -- it works as it pleases." Resm smiled at that, thinking to himself of his own range of power. "We've spent enough time on lunch, don't you think? Arc."

The woman seemed eager to get back on the road, standing and putting away their remains for another time. With everyone watered and rested, it was time to take to the road again, the group regaining their formation same as the day before. And the trip seemed uneventful at first, until something off in the woods started to spook the horses.

Pulling them farther from the woods, Arc watched the forest's edge while Button tossed her head -- finally she saw the shadow that was spooking the horses. It was big -- bigger than anything in this area had the right to be. "Stay still, kids." She whispered, holding Ursula's horse's reins tight.

"What is it?" Solomon asked, ears pricked warily. They were good enough away that if they needed to, they could spur the horses into flight, but close enough that they could hear twigs snapping under the creature's paws, low rumbling growls as it moved further on ahead. Ursula stayed still, though her ears kept moving, trying to pick up any traces of sounds before she whispered, "It's gone. That was...that was massive. What lives in these woods?"

"I don't think I want to find out." Solomon let loose a nervous laugh, as Ursula retrieved her reins from Arc. Ursula could only nod in agreement, muttering, "The thing was massive. How farther ahead do we have to the next inn?"

He pulled out his map to take a quick look, passing it to Arc so she could make plans for their route herself. "Some miles ahead. The road forks, but it joins up again, so we're likely going around something. Which fork should we take?"

"This one. There's less cover, which means less chance for a surprise." Arc tapped her finger along the canvas map, her heart still beating a little frantically after that scare. On the surface she was calm, composed as ever, but there was a niggling fear eating away at her heart. Arc had seen a lot of things along her journeys but that had been unlike anything she had ever encountered before. It was the same for Resm, his head held high and his tattoos glowing like crazy as they stored the information. She would have to dig through his thoughts later.

"Let's ride slow -- we need to avoid passing that creature again." Arc murmured, looking forward to the inn with desperation.

There were no arguments from the twins, simply wanting to put as much distance between them and that thing as they could. Once they reached the fork in the road, they took the road that Arc had specified, and true to word, no surprises could come lumbering out from the mostly flat fields that bordered the massive rock formation that forced the road to initially split. They reached the inn safely, and with quiet relief, able to unmount their horses and pass them to the stablehands for care. Ursula took a deep breath as they entered the inn, the place quiet and more or less empty but for one or two travelers, stuck in their corners and barely paying the newcomers a glance. "Right. Better in here than out there. Same arrangements as last night, yes?"

"Exactly. To bed?" Arc had a feeling this routine would get familiar fairly quickly, especially if things continued on in a smooth fashion. Ursula was a quiet young woman, but Arc could see she was slowly speaking more, asking more questions, taking an interesting in her guards. It was a good sign, as otherwise it would make for a very boring and quiet trip. The two women settled in easily enough. When the night grew deeper, and Arc found she could not sleep, she summoned a puzzle and slowly worked her way through it in the darkness. It would be a long trip.

The next few days passed in a similar way, the monotony broken only by the appearance of some very magical creatures. They decided to cut through a nearby field to save a half-day's time, only to stumble upon a herd of wild unicorns. They had the high ground, free to watch the majestic creatures at their leisure -- they made camp atop the hill and watched the unicorns play about, always at a careful distance. "Look at that black and gold one. Those wings must mean he's the stallion of the group, right?" Arc sighed and bit into her sandwich, wishing dearly to interact with the unicorns. "What beautiful beasts."

Solomon looked quite content to remain where they were seated, watching the beasts from a distance as he muttered, "They're wild horses with horns on them, they'd likely gore us as they would trample us."

Ursula sighed, flicking a pebble at her brother, smacking him right in the middle of his forehead. "Oh, do shut up, Sol, you're such a contrarian." She made herself comfortable against the fallen log she had claimed as a seat, her head in her hands as she watched the unicorns' fillies and colts play together, their parents always herding them safely together if they went too far. "We grew up wanting to see this sort of thing, and now we finally get the chance. So enjoy it."

He huffed, finishing off his sandwich and wiping the crumbs from his shirt. "Fine, fine. I suppose the black one is quite pretty. I always thought unicorns came in white only."

"Unicorns are only supposed to reveal themselves to virgins, as well." Resm mused from beside Ursula, quite sure that at least half their group violated that rule. "There may be a feature or two yet undiscovered. Including coloring." When all the food was gone, and they had no reason to linger, a curious filly came running up the hill. She was as pure white as was expected of unicorns, just the barest bump of a horn on her forehead.

Neither Arc nor Resm had seen her approach, and when Arc felt curious teeth chewing at her sleeves she near screamed. Button snorted at the filly but she refused to move, trotting around the group like she proud of her brave risk. "Seems some are friendly." Arc laughed, the filly now sniffing at Ursula's auburn locks. "Oh." The stallion from before was thundering up the hill after the filly, not shy at all as he stared down the group.

He really was a massive beast. Compared even to their horses, he stood 5 hands taller at least, made all the more intimidating by those bright gray eyes that hid a secret intelligence. When the filly refused to return to his side, he stamped the ground and warily approached, touching noses first with Button and Charming before snorting at Resm.

Tattoos glowing faintly, Resm approached and offered an apple -- which the stallion slowly sunk his teeth into, turning and bullying the filly back towards the rest of the group. "Well." Resm laughed, a little unsteady as he rested his hands on his hips. "Seems we were robbed." The stallion certainly did look proud as he walked back, snapping the apple in half and nudging the rest to a soft gray mare.

Ursula continued watching as the dappled gray mare sniffed at the apple, before she rebuffed the stallion's offer. "Poor thing, she didn't want his gift--oh!" She let out a delighted laugh, as the mare instead nuzzled against the stallion, the filly he had chased back poking between her legs, nickering softly at her parents. It really was a sweet picture, almost too saccharine for her, but still nice to watch. "She likes him better. Much better, she'll be due soon!" She couldn't help but point out the rotund belly the mare carried, another foal on its way.

The filly soon snapped up the apple half that her mother was ignoring, going back to prance and play with the other colts and fillies of the herd. Solomon sighed as he stood, brushing his trousers off. "You know, I really don't fancy getting between that herd. Those unicorns are probably too smart for our own good, and those horns...could we go around?"

There came a small sigh from his sister, suddenly remembering why they were even there. "...We should, yes. Nothing but woods though, until we reach a road. But I think we'll be alright, as long as we cut through."

"So much for this shortcut." Knowing Resm would take a mental note of the valley of unicorns, Arc mounted Button and turned her horse back towards where they had left the road. Her eyes scanned the horizon, finally catching sight of where the road came back around the bend. "We're going to have to duck through those woods." It wasn't ideal, but Solomon had a point -- they had no idea how friendly this herd would remain. "Keep your guard up, you two."

They set off, leaving the herd of unicorns behind in favor for a quieter route. Arc glanced up once they entered the forest, noting the impressive height of the trees surrounding them. This was old wood -- and strangely untouched. That demanded caution if anything did. "Arc." Resm waited for his friend to turn in her saddle, eyes flicking to the tracks on the dirt path. She followed his gaze and took a deep breath. Those were unfortunately fresh.

Animal or man, it was hard to tell -- but there were a lot of them. Maybe they were friendly?  
There was no way of finding out just yet, just a bit of blind hope that whoever--whatever--they met would be as pleasant as the trip had been so far.

The deeper they went, the more still the air grew, their voices sounding flat and muffled whenever they spoke. It was if the old woods demanded silence, no sound but the way their horses' hooves crunched in old leaves and twigs along the path. Ursula shivered as she looked up, noting that daylight was finding it harder and harder to filter through the leaves, and soon asked quietly, "May we light a lantern?"

"Don't need to stumble in the dark." Solomon agreed. He looked around, trying to see past the trees that surrounded them, muttering, "So close to the road, you'd think you'd find...woodsmen, or hunters, or something. Nothing here but animals and--a fire?"

He blinked, pulling the reins short to stop his horse. He hadn't been wrong, spotting the fire from just so off in the distance, burning merrily from the looks of it. He looked at Arc, chewing his bottom lip. "What do you think, Arc?"

"A sign of life, but not one we should investigate. I don't like the feel of this forest." Arc spotted the fire as well, hand resting warily on her sword hilt. Resm only confirmed her thoughts when he broke formation and rode up beside her.

"Bandits." His long ears twitched, a hint of magic flavor in the air. Arc's own magic responded in a soft hum, power flooding her body. "Close -- shit. Another group just ahead."

"No time to move from the path?" Arc whispered.

"No. I'll take the twins." Resm watched as a small group of bandits wandered towards them, their own lanterns shining dimly in the thick forest darkness. There were six of them -- a few with alcohol running through their veins. One of the men finally spotted their group, pointing to Arc and shouting something to his five other friends. Resm frowned at their crude language. "Show them no mercy, Arc."

Grabbing Ursula's and Solomon's reins, Resm led them off the beaten path and into the trees where it would be harder to reach. Arc dismounted from Button and unsheathed her sword, approaching at a slow pace. Resm didn't have time to warn the twins to look away -- the first bandit rushed forward and was immediately without a head. Arc took her momentum from the swing and continued to make short work of the men, blood erupting from suddenly missing limbs and screams ringing through the too-quiet forest.

Some said swordfighting was like a dance, smooth and fluid -- if this was true, Arc was dancing to a different tune. Her movements were grounding, hard and powerful, making them come to her before she sliced them in half. What few parries were needed were quick, to the point -- left, right, push forward, stab while he is groveling on the ground. Turn to the next. Sidestep, slash, slice before he has time to recover.

Arc made short work of the men, their blood staining her armor and her skin red. There were shouts in the distance -- more men approaching. She turned to seek Resm, waving him away. She would cover their retreat. Hooves pounding the ground, Resm had them running through the wood until the screams sounded distant. When all seemed clear, Resm had Solomon pull out the map and find them a landmark Arc would be able to track them to.

Resm had done his best to keep them from seeing the carnage, but neither had been able to block out the sounds of flesh tearing as a sword went through, the screams that turned, worriedly, into bubbling groans, or worse, silence. With a shaky finger, Solomon pointed out a system of caves, saying quietly, "We could hide in there, lose them, maybe? And find our way out by morning."

"Will Arc be able to find that?" Ursula muttered, ears twitching with every twig snap, every leaf crunch. She was as skittish as her horse, the beast moving nervously, eyes blown wide with fear as it snorted and huffed. She ran a hand along its neck, trying to soothe the creature. "Is she a good tracker? She looked at those footprints earlier..."

"Don't worry -- she'll find her way to us." Resm said it calmly, though he did not know if it was true. If Arc was anything, she was good at survival. So....they would know soon enough. "Let's wait here -- at the very least, it will be hard for them to rush us in a cave system." Resm led them into the caves, lighting a torch once they lost their primary light. "I only hope it's empty..."

Once lit, the torchlight fell upon a variety of personal effects--a sleeping roll, hard-wearing provisions, a jug for water. Ursula swallowed, her heart pounding in her ears as she muttered, "It...would not appear to be the case, Resm."

"Right, let's go back, find another cave--" Solomon said, voice at a high pitch as he turned, walking straight into a man who towered over him.

He stumbled back, grabbed by Ursula to steady him, as the man bared his teeth, demanding roughly, "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"N-nothing! Nothing!" Solomon said quickly, taking a step back for every step forward the man took. Ohh, he was angry, and looked a nasty sight, especially with that purpling bruise that fanned out from his ear towards his eye. Ursula jerked Solomon back, quick to step between her brother and the man, boots planted firmly into the ground.

The man snapped his teeth at her, the incisors worryingly sharp, as he snarled, "Either you tell me the truth or--"

"We're hiding!" She snarled in return, a growl rumbling deep in her throat.

The dragon was starting to rear its head in her blood, right as the man settled, his anger at strangers snooping in his cave replaced by irritation. "From what?"

"You've been here for some time." Resm tore his gaze from the man's provisions to the man himself, those handsome green eyes wary of the person before them. He stood before the twins, easily the most prepared for a fight of the three of them. "So surely you know of the bandits in the area -- we're traveling north, and lost our path. This forest has its secrets but we did not expect hostile men to be one of them."

"Ursula is correct; we are hiding. If you grant us shelter for the night, we will reward you for it in the morning." Resm glanced past the man to the entrance of the cave. Arc was still nowhere in sight -- and his memory magic was nudging him to remember an important detail. "Please. We only need to rest for the night. Then we will depart."

He eyed the three, a low growl escaping him as he muttered, "Fine. For a night only." He snapped his fingers, further into the cave. "All three of you can stay there for the time being."

Ursula tugged Solomon away, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible, and took Resm's bag as they passed. If anything, the two of them could get set up for a night's rest. The man watched them for a moment, grumbling under his breath as he turned, walking back towards the entrance. "Don't touch my stuff. I'll see what can be done with the bandits for the time being."

"There's actually four of us." Resm warned Benjamin, the elf hurrying to the mouth of the cave. He heard no screams -- only the huffing of a large animal. Button came crashing through the brush not a minute later, Arc alive but looking battered. She was absolutely drenched in blood, hardly any of it her own but for a gash on her side.

"Resm." She gasped when Button finally stopped, sliding from her mare's saddle to land on the ground. She looked rough, dents lining her armor from pathetic attempts to break through her defenses. "Sorry -- there were just too many. I tried to use my magic but there had to be a blocker nearby, or..." The woman stiffened when she realized they weren't alone, her sword screeching as she drew it from its sheath. "Who's there?"

"A fool who's letting you stay in his cave--" He muttered as he stepped out past Resm, before he caught sight of Arc. Even bruised and battered, wearing armor instead of that low-cut top, he could recognize that woman's face anywhere. The bruise throbbed against the side of his head as he snarled, "You?! Oh no. No! Out, all of you, out!"

"You!?" Arc parroted the man's outrage, Resm suddenly remembering why his memory magic was throwing up red flags. He hadn't been able to see the man's face completely -- and when he did, it was covered in beer and glass. Oh, goddess, have mercy. Arc still had her sword out and was rapidly approaching with the intent to do something disastrous, stopping only when Resm grabbed her sword arm and chanted, "No, no, no, no---"

Arc shoved off Resm's arm and sheathed her weapon, knowing her partner spoke sense. "Fine. We'll continue on -- we don't need his help."

"Arc." Resm was desperate, groaning internally. "In the dark the horses will twist their legs, we will be caught, and you can hardly make any money when dead. And, no-- no, stop, Arc, no, you cannot kill the rest of the bandits as you are." Arc shut her mouth with a click, fury barely hidden on her face. "We need his help. Apologize like an adult."

Arc took one look at the Northern and grumbled.

"What was that?" He challenged her, glaring daggers her way. "I didn't quite hear you."

He honestly wanted to throttle her. But this was almost as good, giving him some satisfaction that drawing out that apology was like drinking salt water for the woman. His arms folded across a well-built chest, he demanded, "I'm waiting."

Behind them, he heard a small groan from the twins, the two suddenly hiding their faces in their hands. Their fates left to two stubborn asses with too much pride. They were, quite frankly, doomed.

"I said --" Arc took a deep breath, cleared her throat, tried again, "I apologize."

Too much silence passed, Resm finally prompting with, "For...?"

"For...smashing you in the head with my mug. Because you mistook me for a prostitute. And said I needed more practice besides." Before Arc could think that over and realize how not-sorry she was, Resm jumped in-between them with a nervous smile.

"There! With relations mended, wouldn't this be a great moment to break bread? Yes? I think it would." Resm skirted around the big man to enter the cave, drawing from their supplies some food to share. Arc took Button by the reins, glaring at the Northerner all while leading the horses to shelter. Once in the cave, Arc retreated to the far back to clean her armor and treat her wounds, ignoring the merriment Resm was trying to start with the stranger.

"My name is Resm'iel -- this is Ursula and Solomon. We are escorting them to the North before the snows start to block the pass, a task that has admittedly gone well until this point. And you've of course met Arcana. She is, ah, usually friendlier. "

"I'll believe it when I see it." He snorted, before finally offering his hand to Resm. "Benjamin Kirkwall. What the hell are you escorting those kids to the North for?" He frowned, turning a watchful eye to the twins, who both bristled slightly at being referred to as 'kids'.

Solomon sniffed slightly as he turned away, Ursula saying shortly, "There's a temple we want to go to."

"Pull the other one, it's got bells on it." He growled at her, arms folded across his chest. "The four of you better just turn right around and head back to where you came from. The North's no place for sightseeing right now." Not that it ever was, known for being barren and desolate, a hard place to live, but even more so now. "You're not pilgrims, I can tell that much, and you're putting your escorts at risk. Trouble's brewing that way, so heed my advice: go home."

"We're not turning around." Ursula said, her ears pinning back. That deep growl from earlier was rumbling again, and it wasn't difficult to tell which of the twins it was coming from. There was a sharp edge to her soft voice. "We're not going home. We're going to the temple."

"Fine." Benjamin scoffed, turning back to Resm. "You and that...Arcana, you're in over your heads."

"So you say." Resm did not look convinced by Benjamin's lack of confidence, turning his gaze away from the mouth of the cave. The twins were strangely adamant about going to this temple -- though Benjamin was but a stranger, he was kind enough to let them stay in his cave, and that warranted a least an open mind to what he had to say. Arc wouldn't agree, but Resm rolled the words around in his mind. "...and why is it you say this? Because of the snow? You say trouble, but Mythos is hardly a stranger to the concept."

"It's no stranger to trouble, but Mythos hasn't ever seen anything like this." Benjamin said flatly, shaking his head. He found it difficult to describe, patched together from his own experiences and the stories of those fleeing from the North. It took plenty to move a Northerner from their land, and that so many were leaving en masse said enough. "A force is...gathering there. They're human, but they're not Mythos." It was hard for him to even believe it, but he added, "No banners anyone recognizes. Those who strayed too close don't get away. They're not Northerners or from the South, or from any of the coastal cities. And there's never been this many humans in one place. I'm telling you now, if you value your own skin, you turn these kids back around and cut your losses."

"A troubling thought." It seemed he was the only one willing to say anything about it -- the twins were now quiet in their stubborn way, and Arc ignored the echoes bouncing off the stone walls though they spoke of danger. It wasn't like her to be so reckless. "If it is true. You understand my hesitation to abandon my job for hearsay." Resm brushed his hands free of crumbs, aware he was walking a thin line with Benjamin already. "Let us not speak of such dark things when bandits loom close. Should we assign watch shifts? Arc?"

Arc finally turned away from her cleaning to sigh in Resm's direction. "Can you not conjure a barrier?"

"I would not mind." Resm turned back to look at Benjamin, "If our host does not."

"Do what you want." Benjamin said, shrugging. "Nothing comes too near this place though, so it'd just be wasting what energy you have. Especially with that gash of yours."

He knelt to shake out his bedroll, stretching out along its length. "Either way, if you insist on going up North, you're just prolonging what's coming."

Come morning, Arc wasn't sure how she felt. With Ursula curled up beside her, she was loathe to move too quickly, watching instead the sun rise slowly. The light could hardly pierce through the thick woods, but the soft, hesitant song of birds was clue enough to tell the woman what time it was. As slowly and carefully as possible she extracted herself from Ursula's side and started towards the horses, noticing after a moment that Benjamin was not present. She squinted towards the distance, shook her head, and fed the horses their breakfast as everyone else slowly woke.

Solomon voiced her curiosity when he woke up, muzzily noting the strange man was nowhere present. Benjamin's things still remained, however, so it wasn't as though he had left. Not likely, considering they were in his home (or as much of a home as a cave could be).

Missing or not, it didn't stop the twins from picking through what supplies they had to make something out of the food. Neither knew much about provisions or how to make food last long on a trail, but they knew that keeping a jar of preserves and a good loaf of bread made for a quick and sweet breakfast, soon offering a generous slice to Arc. Solomon held it out, the slice of bread topped with a good amount of apple jam, and tried to bite back a yawn. "It's not as good as an inn's breakfast, but you're welcome to it? We did promise to feed you and Resm."

After thanking the twins for their simple, but effective, breakfast, Arc turned to ready the horses for departure. It was only when her wound opened again that Resm sat her down and worked his magic on her. It was something of a relief that their main fighter was back in action. Her armor still had a few dings in it but nothing terrible, enough so she could fight off more bandits. Should they dare attack again, that is.

The sun was now rising, and the group ready to leave. "Make sure you've got everything you brought. We won't be returning this way." Arc called out.

There wasn't any worry of leaving anything behind, the bags soon packed and tucked safely away in the horses' saddlebags. Ursula tightened her mare's saddle, soon helping her brother mount his own horse, before her ears twitched. Someone was coming their way.

She tried to warn Arc, stopping when it turned out to be Benjamin, who moved past them silently, not commenting on the fact that they were leaving as he entered his cave. A few moments later, he was back out, carrying a small bag and his bedroll tucked under one arm, saying, "Right, we're off then?"

Arc turned with the glint of murder in her blue eyes, and Resm wasn't nearly ready to put a stop to it this time around. "Excuse me?" She reigned Button back, glaring down at Benjamin with a tiger's worth of fierce anger in her tense body. "We appreciate you allowing us to stay in your cave, but I do not recall extending an invitation for you to join us." When sure turned to look at Resm, he gave a small shake of his head. He hadn't extended an invitation, either.

"I'm not looking for an invitation. I'm coming." Benjamin said flatly, shoving his bag into Solomon's hands. The half-dragon stared at him, stammering, "We really, really would prefer it if you didn't--"

"Either of you know what the North is like?" Benjamin asked sharply, causing Solomon to shrink back. He looked to Arc and Resm, contempt in his eyes. "You lot want to talk about getting up there before first snow, and that's enough to tell me none of you know how to handle the land up there. Out of the four, only you're half-equipped for the cold." He gestured roughly to Arc, continuing irritably, "Your charges are dressed like it's a summer walk, they don't have near enough supplies, and the further north you get, the less inns you come across. You want someone who knows the land with you, and can make sure you're all equipped for it to boot."

"So what's in this for you? Surely you're not doing this out of the kindness in your heart." Arc snorted, unconvinced. But Resm looked thoughtful, recognizing each point that Benjamin made. Clothing wouldn't be hard to fix -- they could hunt or summon some warmer clothing easily enough. But they didn't know the area very well, and what Resm did remember was outdated by a thousand years. He bit his lip.

Benjamin came with supplies of his own, but he had no horse that Resm had seen. He would have to bunk with someone -- and Button was the strongest horse of the crew. Warily Resm turned his gaze to Arc, opened his mouth. "You cannot be seriously considering this, Resm." Arc sighed when Resm gave her an apologetic smile. "You can take the price cut, then. He'll not touch a copper of my pay."

"Do we not get a say at all in this?" Solomon asked weakly, not quite looking forward to the newcomer joining them. Ursula was equally as displeased, slouching in her saddle with a mulish look to her face. It was their money being offered to someone they hadn't hired, but it seemed largely out of their hands. Solomon sighed, muttering under his breath, "Fine. I guess he exists as a consultant or something."

"So that's all settled." Benjamin said, as the young man muttered and shoved Benjamin's bag into the saddlebags. He reached out to rub at Button's nose, saying, "This one'll have to deal with me until we reach a place that sells horses."

"Pick any other horse, Benjamin." Arc all but hissed, seething quietly when she found herself stuck with him anyway. Great. Button wickered in soft protest to the extra weight, but settled easily enough. The forest was quiet on the way out, Arc surprised to not even hearing the bandits make a peep. "Did they leave already?" Surely they needed to prepare the dead at the very least?

"Does it matter? They're gone." Benjamin said from behind her, shifting so that he could point off towards a faintly made path. "Go that way. It'll lead you to the roads and out of the woods." He settled back, turning his gaze to the woods around them, steadily thinning out as they took the route he suggested. It was midday before they emerged along the side of the road, a few good miles from where they had originally tried to cut across. Solomon muttered as he looked at the map, a small sigh of relief escaping when he realized they were on course, and better yet, farther along than they had planned for that day. "We made better time than we thought."

"So our newfound companion works his magic already!" Resm said brightly, grinning in triumph that his suggestion hadn't backfired just yet. Arc remained silent, eyes ahead on the road. The horses were fairly calm, so that was good -- no immediate danger was nearby to spook them. How they had made their way through the forest without coming upon the bandits again was beyond her. But it seemed things were just going to remain a mystery, especially if they avoided the forest altogether on the way back...which was the smartest choice.

Adjusting herself in the saddle, Arc tried to ignore the obvious presence of Benjamin behind her. Squeezing together onto Button was no easy feat. With each shift in direction they were sliding together, something easily fixable if Arc just pressed back against the man. She had found him attractive at first but damn if she would let herself fall for a man who thought her a helpless prostitute. Resolving to find a bed-mate at the next inn, Arc focused on their task -- finding said inn. This would be their last one for a long while, the influence of the North already shifting the flux of people living in the area.

It was as comfortable for her as it was for Benjamin. He bit back grumbles whenever the ride became a bit rough, the two jostling together on Button. Her ass would press straight into his groin before she forcibly moved forward once more, determined to keep her space between them. Not that he was really arguing, if it meant that damn mane was kept out of his face. Something about it was driving him mad, trying to place just what it was as they rode in grumpy silence together.

It was the scent, he finally figured. It was taking him ages to place it, before a breeze blew past them, the scent of wild flowers on its air. Lavender, that was it. He rolled his eyes, wondering when she had the time to apply lavender to herself--no, no, that was a bad road of thought to go down. His head still ached from that damn mug, he didn't need to go wondering about Arcana and her apparent thing for lavender.

He grumbled slightly, wanting to get off the horse and walk. Instead, he settled for needling Arcana, whether for annoyance or information or both. "So, what's so important about this temple in the North, exactly? Most of them are just ruins up that way."

"Goddess knows." Arc was 99% sure that information hadn't been in the original job description, the scroll still tucked into the saddlebags somewhere in case details needed to be pointed out. The twins didn't seem willing to share the reason either, so Arc was content to let it lie. It wasn't the most cautious move, or even the most thought out, but she and Resm had agreed together that they only need take action if the mission suddenly became impossible to complete. If their friendship was solidified, perhaps Arc would be allowed the chance to ask. For now however it was a mystery. "They're half-bloods, might be something related to that."

Another bump and Arc was pressed against Benjamin's lap. She cursed silently and moved out of the way, a move obviously worthless since she was jolted back into his lap once more at the next bump.

"So you just go into a job blindly?" Benjamin grunted as she jolted back into his lap. Any other woman and he wouldn't be complaining. He glanced over his shoulder, watching the twins talk amongst themselves. "Mm, can't help but wonder if they hear you talk about them that way. Considered rude, ain't it? Calling a person a half-blood."

He shrugged, saying easily, "I mean, hell, I don't go into the cities that much so I don't know what's currently politically correct, but ouch. And you do it within earshot too?" He whistled under his breath. "I'm starting to doubt what your friend said about you being so nice."

"Benjamin...Kirkwall, was it?" Arc did not look back at Benjamin, her gaze trained on the road ahead of them. "When we first met, not only were you drinking alone, you barely had enough coins to fill your wallet. You couldn't afford a night with me, nor a second drink. You warn us of the North, but here you are, having traveled from the Iron City. I would say you're going North for your own reasons, and taking a cut of our coin on top of that. If you don't want me asking too many questions and making sure you get not a copper from the twins, then you best damn shut your mouth and show me some respect."

Button snorted in agreement, tossing her head as they continued on. "Am I understood?"

"Bit funny, asking for respect when you can't even show your contract holders that." Benjamin muttered under his breath, a sour look spoiling that rugged face as he fell into a sulk. She had him there, and he didn't care for it, wanting to wipe that smug look off her face somehow. It was enough to shut him up for the time being, at least, the ride now silent for everyone to go through their own thoughts.

Solomon was first to break the silence, however, always unable to stand it for too long. He spurred his horse to move a bit quicker, riding alongside of Button in little time, as he said quickly, "Arc, I was thinking--this inn will likely be our last in awhile, right? Would it be fine to stay two nights, instead of one? I was looking at the map for the closest in the area, and it seems like it's connected to a town. So Uschi and I, we could get things to be more prepared for the North, you know?" He glanced Ben's way, a bit disparaging, as he added, "If we have to have a, uh, consultant, we might as well use him, right? So that starts with finding things to bring, and all."

"An excellent idea. I have provisions stored away, but it never hurts to be too prepared. Finding clothing that fits you two will be key, I think." Arc thought it over quietly. Losing a day to preparations wouldn't be the worst sacrifice, especially if it ended up helping in the long run. As much as she hated to admit it, Benjamin would be an asset here with his knowledge of the North, and though Arc had cloaks and furs stored away they were likely to be ill-fitting to anyone besides herself.

"If we're to be staying for two days, let us hope the inn holds its own. Otherwise two days might just be miserable." After dragging out the map again, the crew decided that Solomon's plan made the most sense, and hurried onward before night covered them in darkness.

The small town was spotted in just the nick of time, the heavens opening to release a storm that came out of nowhere, thunder cracking above their heads and sending the twins' horses into a nervous state. Uschi grunted as she tightened her grip on the reins, her horse trying to shy away from the others before she took control once more. She sighed as Arc led the small band to the inn's stables, glad to see the hands were waiting to take any traveler's beasts to dry them down and feed them for the night. She could only hope the inn would be the same way, wanting nothing more than to get out of the wet clothes on her back.

Paying their way for food and board was always a simple task, but now Ursula hesitated when it came to the number of rooms requested. She glanced nervously at Benjamin, who was largely unaware of everything, the man focusing instead on the bar in the corner. Solomon nudged her gently, holding up two fingers for how many rooms they would need, and muttered, "It'll be fine."

She sighed, pushing forward the coin, as she said quietly, "It'd better be. We still don't know him." Her hand found his, squeezing it tight before she released it. "If anything bothers you, just knock at our door."

"I'll be fine." Solomon insisted, tossing the key to Resm. "Let's get our bags in first, huh?"

"Agreed. I'll keep your brother safe, Ms. Ursula." Resm gave the young lady a wink and walked upstairs with Solomon behind him, bags in hand. Arc plucked at her wet clothing and sighed, knowing a change was desperately needed.

"Let's get changed out of these clothes before we catch cold." The woman suggested, nodding up the stairs where Solomon and Resm had disappeared to. Once all her layers were folded neatly on the bed, it was easy to see how fit Arc was -- with arms that had to be able to cleave men straight through with one stroke. And of course, those scars were still present. They were a reminder of the rough road; how being a warrior was no easy job, no matter how glamorous it sometimes seemed. Arc pulled on her civilian clothing and tied the shirt closed, her bosom even more impressive when not hidden behind steel. "Are you wanting a drink, Ursula? Wine? Beer?"

"I want a beer." Ursula sighed as she undressed, wanting out of the wet clothes on her back. She paused a moment, glancing to Arc before looking down at her own body, a faint flush crossing that dark skin, before she hurriedly tugged on a dry shirt and a loose skirt, unable to help but laugh at herself a little. She and her brother had been so focused on their journey, it felt odd for that one flicker of normality, that self-conscious squirm in her stomach as she compared body to body. Uncomfortable though it was, it forced her to relax, to take stock of everything that had happened in so short a time. Ursula took a deep breath, and tied back her hair into a messy bun, correcting herself, "...Actually, I want a very large pitcher of beer. And a plate of whatever this town has in way of dessert..."

Arc laughed in return, grabbing her pouch of coins to pay for both of their luxuries. "I can agree to that. Let's take a night to relax." Especially after what had happened the night before. Arc waited by the door, her eyes now on Ursula. She hoped the woman wouldn't remember the horrors of last night for too long -- it was easier to do when you were not the one laying the killing blow. "Should we grab the boys, as well?"

With Resm and Solomon joining them, Arc paid for beers and a desert to share, her side pressed to Resm's but her attention still on Ursula. It wasn't often she had time to spend with other women, and while the boys were great in their own unique way, there was a kinship among all women that was deeper rooted. Resm drew out a pack of playing cards and placed it on the table, grinning while the two warriors made the rules for their drinking game.

"So why are you going to this temple anyway?" Arc asked, a very drunk time later. She and Ursula had both gone through an impressive amount of beers, keeping their heads only because they had been eating the entire time. The inn was down to its last three people -- Resm and Solomon having trudged upstairs just moments ago. "Is it...important to your heritage...or something?"

Ursula hummed, warmth blooming in her cheeks as she took another glass for herself, the foam spilling over the rim. Settled against her chair, she propped her feet up against the chair that Resm had occupied, sipping slowly at the warm brew. "Any temple to the Mother is important to dragons. She made them first, my grandfather taught us." She put the glass down, wiping the foam from her lips. Her guard was down, from familiarity of Arc and drink, a loose, easy smile on her face. Not quite drunk, just very contently buzzed. "It is...more than that. But..."

Ursula lapsed into silence, cheek pressed against the palm of her hand. That easy smile had slipped from her face, a tired look replacing it. "But it is important to us. The last time we were at the temple, we didn't realize just how much that was the case. So going back..." She laughed quietly, sitting up. "I don't know. It's hard to explain."

 

"If you don't know how to explain...well, later, maybe." Arc gave an easy shrug, casting her eye about the bar for something good to pick up. But nothing caught her eye, mind wandering to how Benjamin had felt pressed up against her during the ride, all solid and warm. She hiccuped with shame and turned back to Ursula, wondering if Ben had been just too close to the mark. Damnit. "We're not...terribly far. Kinda far. Not terrible, though. We hit the snow, and it might be. But apparently Benjamin knows his way, so..." Arc gave another shrug and finished the last of her beer. Now would be a good time to have more of that delicious pie.

"I just feel like we don't know you very well. Or at all, really." Arc mumbled, being hopelessly sincere now. "I don't usually try for companionship, but you two are sweet enough. Though you might be a little young to want to hang out with someone as old as me."

"You are not old, Arcana." Ursula gave her a small smile, unable to believe her ears. "You act as if you have a foot in the grave."

She paused a moment, realizing that with Arc's line of work, that was likely. Coughing to cover her blunder, she said, "Companionship makes it an easier road to face. I...had my doubts about hiring you, but I'm glad we did. You and Resm have been enjoyable to travel with." She smiled a bit. "Even if you act as though we're children..."

"Can you blame us? It's just....between Resm and myself, we've seen a lot of terrible things. There's more to the world than what is bleak and dark, but it forces you to grow up really quickly or crumble under the reality of the world." Arc sighed and ran a finger around the rim of her drink. "Though...those bruises when we first met say otherwise, don't they? You may not be children after all. But listen to me." Arc shook her head and gave a small laugh. "Still trying to offer drunken sage advise. What would be good -- teaching you to defend yourself."

That mulish look reared its head again as Ursula looked away. "I know how to defend myself." She sighed, ears flicking back, and reluctantly added, "But...maybe not to the extent that you can. Learning to fight better would not be so bad."

She laughed, fingers pressing against the skin that had once been bruised and aching. "I can only take so many punches to the face, you know?"

"An axe could help with that. Or a knife. Or a sword, really. There's so many possibilities!" Oh dear. Arc was getting excited, perhaps too much so, at the prospect of having Ursula try out some of her weapons. Arc smiled gleefully at the thought and gave a small shake of her head. "Tomorrow. Right now I don't think I could summon if I really wanted to. I'd end up grabbing who knows what. C'mon, let's get to bed. OK?" Waving at the bartender, Arc helped Ursula up the steps and to their bedroom, where the women changed into their sleep clothes for the night.

"Get a good night's sleep, Ursula, we'll have a long day tomorrow." Arc paused, rolling over in her bedroll. "...Goodnight."

Morning came and shook Arc awake with the very beginning of a hangover. She reached up to knead her forehead and sighed, knowing Resm would have just the trick to alleviate the nausea. Luckily for Ursula, who hadn't had as much to drink, the day would be easier for her. With a quiet 'good morning', the women were up and dressed, waiting downstairs when the boys finally dragged themselves from bed.

Seems the plan of the day was to go into town and purchase supplies necessary for the Northern lands. Arc summoned all she had and let them take note of what was still needed -- namely coats, a few more blankets, and anything else that could keep them warm. They would maybe have to look for something for their horses as well, but in reality it was likely they would have to be left behind for the last few days.

The market was not so crowded, but Resm spotted a pick-pocket or two still lingering around the outskirts. While Resm took the twins to look for warmer clothing, Arc accompanied Ben to the stables to see if they could find a horse big enough to support him.

Benjamin grumbled and grumped about this arrangement the entire way there, the sour look on his face only growing worse when he saw the apprehensive way the stablehands looked at him. Finding a horse for him wouldn't be all too easy. Most there were horses best suited for farm work--hard-wearing for long work days and heavy loads, but not exactly bred for long journeys. The stablehand helping them rubbed his neck, admitting finally, "We've got an old war horse, if you'd like to take a look? He's...getting on in years, but he's as powerful as they come, and his owner used to ride him from one coast to the next. Just a touch ornery, I'll warn you that now. He likes to bite."

"Sounds like a perfect match." Arc mumbled, grinning when she actually saw the horse. A perfect match indeed, the horse as big as Ben and full of energy besides. He was a warhorse, however, and that meant traveling long distances at once might prove difficult. But the horse in question would undoubtedly fare better than any of the farming horses they had seen earlier. Seeing the stablemaster sulking around in the back, Arc hailed him over for a price on the warhorse.

"We'll give you two silver, three copper, and no more." Arc turned to look over the warhorse again, knowing she was asking too little but figuring the stablemaster would rise to the bargain. "An ornery bastard like that can't be easily sold, not unless his rider is just as ornery."

The stablemaster hemmed and hawed over the price, trying to bring to light the horse's accomplishments in surviving many wars and battles, but he soon deflated, knowing it was his best chance to get rid of the old bastard. Far better than trying to sell it to a local butcher, in any case. Benjamin took the reins of the old warhorse in hand, stopping his snout hard as the horse went to bite him. The horse huffed at him, before flicking his ears up, noting the sugar cubes Benjamin held in his free hand.

Well, a new rider with food was at least tolerable. For now.

"Would you look at that." Arc scoffed, fighting back laughter as she watched the warhorse nuzzle into Benjamin's hand for treats. She hardly expected Benjamin of all people to be carrying treats, yet here they were, somehow. At least he was kind to animals. "Finding a horse wasn't so bad. I thought with so many people fleeing the North, people would be sticking to their horses and dropping all else." Arc worried her bottom lip for a moment before scanning the crowd for Resm's familiar head of white. "How you were traveling before with no horse is beyond me..."

"I don't need a horse to get to where I'm going." Benjamin said flatly. "His owner likely died in those battles that fool kept mentioning, and someone saw a chance to make coin with the horse." He rubbed the warhorse's velvety nose, saying, "Mine now. Bloody terror that you are." The warhorse snorted at him before he began to nose against Benjamin, searching for more sugar cubes, or better yet, an apple. Benjamin was quick to protest, cussing under his breath as he pushed the horse's head away. "Knock it off. Where's your friend anyway? The town's not so big that he can be lost, is it?"

Arc grumbled right back at Benjamin, unused to blatant disregard in her endeavors to assist. A 'thank you' wouldn't hurt. Still, this was Benjamin, and Arc brushed off the indifference as quickly as she grumbled about it. Resm was finally found near a stall selling warm jackets. The twins were still trying on pairs and deciding which ones to spend their precious coin on -- a decision that required much time, as it would likely be the jacket they wore the whole rest of the trip. Resm was looking a bit bored, though, eyes closed head nodding as he leaned against the stall's support. Someone had a late night.

"How goes it? Do you think they will suffice?" Arc asked as she approached the twins, enjoying the pure white jacket laying on display.

Ursula grunted as she wriggled her way out of a rather nice, thick leather coat, the inside lined with fur. Solomon had found one similar, black to her brown, and nodded as he said, "I think these would be more than adequate. The stall owner even threw us a matching pair of boots." He demonstrated, wiggling his heels in the dirt. The stall owner could only shrug with a chuckle, saying, "You're paying enough to make up for my lack of customers as of late. Call it a favor from us."

Ursula gave him a small smile, her coat folded over one arm. "Well, we thank you." She turned to Arc, catching the way she eyed the jacket. "...Do you want that, Arc?"

"No, my own fur lining is quite warm. I was just reminded of a coat I had, very similar to this, as a child." Arc ran her hand down the soft white fabric and sighed with longing. It had been forever since she last thought of her childhood in such a fond manner. She turned away after a moment, glad the twins had been able to find something to keep them warm. Resm would make due with whatever Arc was able to summon, and Ben....well, Ben still had some work to do. Even if he was a Northerner, a kilt and bear pelt just wasn't going to cut it.

"You might as well pick something out as well, Benjamin." Arc gave a nod to the stall. "I don't think anything of mine will fit you like it will Resm."

"I'll be fine." Benjamin said, scowling as the twins gave him very odd looks. "I mean it, I don't need you buying me anything. The horse was enough."

"You'll freeze." Solomon pointed out, slowly and clearly, as though spelling it out for someone simple. This only irritated Benjamin more, his mouth thinning as he growled, "I don't need it--hey!"

Ursula was already shoving coin into the stall owner's hands, grabbing a jacket that looked large enough to fit Benjamin. She pushed it into his hands, saying sternly, "You'll wear it. Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof. Stop arguing with us."

"...Fine." Benjamin growled, draping it over his arm. Ursula sighed before looking back at the white jacket, but turned so that they could leave the market. There had been enough spending of coin for now. "It's a very pretty jacket, Arcana. Maybe on your way back, you can get one...?"

Arc only laughed in reply, knowing Ursula meant well. "We'll see, Ursula! A woman like me has more to worry about than pretty jackets." She adjusted her fur collar almost self-consciously before mounting Button and glancing back at the group. They looked good now, prepared for a hard trip up North. She only hoped it would be worth the trouble and coin. Looking at Benjamin's new horse, Arc couldn't help but scowl -- the beast was already nipping at Resm's poor exposed leg.

She brought Button closer, the cream-colored mare snorting as they pressed almost flank-to-flank. "Keep your terror on a tight leash, Benjamin. The warhorse has already bit an indentation in his....guard...." Arc trailed off, noting how calm the stallion was now that she was near. Odd. Clicking to Button, Arc moved on to guide the group through the crowd -- unnerved only when Benjamin's horse hurried behind immediately. "Pull him back, Benjamin. He'll spook Button at this rate."

"You don't have to give me orders, I know what I'm doing." Benjamin snapped, tugging ineffectively at the reins. But the old warhorse was stubborn, quick to trot to Button's side, regardless of what his rider wanted. Benjamin swore under his breath as he tried to lead the horse where he wanted. "Bloody rock-headed terror, stop making eyes at the damn nag!"

Even though they had gone through all the trouble of buying Benjamin a horse of his own, with the way the warhorse was sticking to Button, they were basically in the same position but with a few more inches separating them. Great. Benjamin tugged and snapped his reins a few more times before giving up entirely, the warhorse much more content nuzzling at Button's white mane. Arc's own mare didn't quite care for his affections but went along with it well enough for the time being.

Arc could feel Resm's smile boring into her head. Finally back at the inn, where heat invited them inside, Arc was loathe to stay outside a second longer. Especially when she heard all the trouble the stablehands were having with Benjamin's new terror. Goddess guide them. She had Solomon bring out the map again for them to glance over, confirming their current path and discussing any future trouble. "We won't hit another inn for a good three days, so we'll have to hunt at some point." Arc mumbled, glad when Resm's finger pressed into the map.

"This area houses a rich and ancient forest -- surely it will be no trouble to find shelter here."

"And food." Arc agreed, worrying her bottom lip as she thought. The temple still felt so far away, even when visualized on the map. "On the way back it may be wise to see if we can stay here until the weather is clear enough to continue on. The horses can probably be lodged here when we trek to the temple, too." Arc tapped on the inn closest to the tower, wishing it was just a bit closer. "Do either of you know how to hunt? If we have more than one hunter out, it will pay off in the long run. Surely you, Benjamin, but what of you two? Ursula, Solomon?"

The twins both nodded. Solomon sighed, not entirely thrilled with the prospect, as he admitted, "We can hunt, but it's been a few years since we last had to." Ursula nodded, not sure of how much use they would be. She added, "But we know how to prepare meat safely, and can salt and dry it so it lasts longer. We'd need some things for that, but I imagine we can pick those up before we leave tomorrow morning." She raised a hand to a passing waitress, a round of drinks soon brought to them all. "Which isn't to say we won't hunt. We'll try, at least."

"If I catch something big enough, we'll be set for a few days." Benjamin said, picking up his mug to examine the contents. Satisfied, he took a swig, wiping the foam from his mustache. "But hunting gets scarce the further north you go, so I'm suggesting we take as many supplies as we can, make some hard tack on the road, that sort of thing."

"I have preserving materials stored away in my safe. We'll be able to use that fairly efficiently." Arc assured the twins. "And that way we won't be wearing down the horses with any extra supplies. We take what is needed immediately." They would be relying heavily on what Arc was able to summon, but if she was dead or missing then she had a feeling the rest of the group wouldn't be worrying about trivial things like food. "Hard tack is a good idea. That way if something does come up, we'll have a light backup."

Resm swirled his beer with a frown, staring down at the golden liquid. "You twins are knowledgeable about the outdoors, no? Who taught you to prepare meat?"

"...You have to know about the outdoors when your father ran a farm." Ursula said, glancing at Solomon when he didn't immediately speak up. "Vati raised pigs. Both Solomon and I were taught to work as butchers when we were growing up." She shrugged. "There was no slacking off on a farm, even as children. You either worked with crops, the pigs, or you went poaching in the woods. We may not know much of fighting or traveling through Mythos, but we know how to keep ourselves fed."

Solomon couldn't help but chuckle, arms folded across his chest as he muttered, "If there was one good thing we learned from him, it was anything and everything about food, how to get it, how to prepare it, and how to cook it. I think that's the only reason we managed the first trip by ourselves..."

"The first trip?" A hush fell over the group, Arc feeling tense as Resm waited for a response. Those three words could mean anything though, she reminded herself, visibly uncoiling when Resm prompted for more. "Have you been to the North before, then?"

"Yes." Solomon gave him an odd look, unsure of why Arc had gone so stiff. "We did not always live down south, you know."

Ursula sat her mug down, not caring much for the sudden suspicion the two faced. They had never hid the fact they had traveled before, mentioning it in passing, if not fully expanding on it. There was never a need to. She tried to keep her tone even and calm, her annoyance only betrayed by the way her ears pinned back just a bit, as she said, "We traveled southwards by ourselves when we were younger. It was...easily one of our worst decisions, and it's why you were even hired in the first place to escort us." She shook her head, irritation plain on her face now. "Our father had passed. We couldn't stay. We knew about keeping ourselves fed, not how to live on our own, not at...what, thirteen? Fourteen?"

"Fourteen." Solomon said, glancing at her. Ursula sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, muttering, "Right. Thank you. So we left. We traveled to our grandfather's, and asked to join his household. Mythos is a hard place for children, yes? This is not so difficult to believe."

"For you to have to leave after your father passed...that must have been difficult." Arc said, her tone sincere. Not only was the trip itself difficult, but the memory of your lost one could be a heavy burden to bear. As someone who has loved and lost, Arc knew that to be the truth a little too well. She glanced to Resm and gave a small nod of her head. They wouldn't push it more than that; they were lucky the twins were knowledgeable and would leave it at that. "Fourteen...that was a handful of years for you two, then. You're, what -- twenty something now?"

Solomon nodded as he glanced to Ursula, inclining his head slightly. She sighed and nodded in turn, settling back into the chair. It was difficult speaking of that time, and always had been--their father's death never an easy topic for them both. It was best for her to sit and let him talk, to calm down before she could rejoin the conversation.

"We turned twenty this past winter, yes. So...yes, it was awhile back that we last traveled such a long distance." He shrugged, glancing at Arc. "We're older now, but...we didn't want to run a risk like we did the last trip. Better to be safe and prepared, you see?"

"As you well should -- though you may be more prepared than you even originally planned." Resm noted, his earrings clinking noisily as he turned his attention to Arc. "The two of us do not often take escort missions." No, but that was for good reason. Arc was too impatient for such slow missions, and the both of them were better off for something that posed more of a challenge. Even the most difficult of escort missions were not often high stakes -- and if they were, then it was something like an anti-assassination attempt.

"No...it has been some time." Arc sighed and thought back to their last escort, a small shot of cold running down her spine. "They can sometimes be pleasant, wanting to travel to some beautiful, exotic place. But that is not always the case." She closed her eyes and took a small sip of her beer, lost in her dark thoughts. There was a reason she never took these sort of missions anymore.

"The North is beautiful, yes, but a bit strange for a place to travel." Resm noted, glancing to Benjamin. "But you are from here."

Benjamin was still staring at the twins, startled for a moment when he realized Resm was speaking to him. "Mm? Ah. Yes. Strange or not, we'll be well-prepared, one way or another." He frowned, glancing at the twins. "You make no comments of returning, I notice."

"We don't plan on it, no." Ursula said.

"What?" Arc voiced their surprise, both her and Resm looking to the twins with wide eyes. "You never mentioned that as part of the contract! Where will you live? That far North, there's hardly anything out there but ancient temples and snow." Arc was surprised to feel a bit of niggling worry at this sudden piece of information. How would the twins survive this far out? There was so much unaccounted for and so few answers that would likely be answered. Taking a slow breath, Arc calmed herself and tried again. "Please, explain what you mean."

"It's alright, Arc." Solomon said quickly, trying to reassure her. "It's all in the contract's writing. Our plan has always been to go to the temple first, then back to our father's farm. It's not far, you see?" He tried to smile. "Snow eventually melts. There's good soil underneath. We know better how to survive, and live out there than we did as children."

Arc didn't look convinced, and neither did Resm. They glanced to one another with worry clear on their faces, the expression wiped clean only when they ducked down to take a drink from their beer. A decision could be made after seeing the state of the temple and farm, and they would at least be with the twins if they did decide to go back. But....the thought was still worrying. "If that's your decision." Arc murmured, draining the last of her beer. There was still the fact of the matter that they had to get there.

There was still some time before the sun set, so Resm set up a game of chess and Arc went outside to sharpen her sword in peace. Despite having traveled together for several days now, it still felt odd to know that they hardly knew anything about their employers and vise versa. But it was scary to ask, somehow.

Solomon was quick to join Resm for chess, seeming to enjoy the challenge of trying to beat the ancient elf. Benjamin found himself a quiet corner to sit back and relax, eyes closing in a nap, and left himself unavailable for any friendly discussions. Ursula chewed on her bottom lip before she got up from the table, a few coins set down for payment of the drinks, and made her way outside. The skies had turned a brilliant mix of orange and pink, the sun slowly making its descent to the horizon. It wasn't difficult to find Arc, sitting on a woodcutter's stump, sword and rag in hand as she polished it to a shine.

Ursula couldn't help but smile. The setting sun had turn Arc's hair into a bright flame, pretty in the golden light that shone over the land. She approached slowly, boots crunching against the dirt as she said softly, "Hey...Arc? I'd like to talk for a moment, if that's fine. Mostly to...apologize, for my attitude back there, if I came off as rude..."

Arc glanced up from her routine and gave the young woman a smile in return. "It's of no consequence, Ursula, it was obviously a touchy subject." She would have moved to allow Ursula to sit beside her, but there was hardly enough room on the stump for her already. "I was just surprised, was all. I thought this would be a round trip for you two." That they would have to be left behind was...sad, almost. She sat straight and paused, sword as wickedly sharp and clean as usual -- the blood from the day before a memory lost. "I hope the North works better for you than the South, with your grandfather."

Ursula took her own initiative, plopping down on the grass, legs sprawling as she leaned back, her eyes on the horizon. "...mm. I'm hoping so too. I'm grateful he gave us somewhere to live, but...we're better elsewhere." She shrugged, her eyes falling on the sword in Arc's hand. The conversation from the night before came back, a bit fuzzy from all the drink, but more or less clear. "...So, is it hard to learn how to fight with a weapon? You made it seem so easy that day."

"I've been at it a long time." Arc shrugged with a touch of a smile to her lips, amused by Ursula's question. It was always easier when you were just watching. "But it's easy to learn something as long as you keep up with it and have someone good to teach you. I had more teachers than I could count on one hand -- I learned a lot, by being able to work at the Guild." Arc took her sword and slowly sheathed it, placing the weapon in her lap, where it lay inconspicuous. "And I've been honing those teachings ever since. When it's live or die, you have to keep yourself as sharp as your sword."

"And hope you don't go against someone better than you." Ursula said, smiling a bit. "...you said you might teach me. Is that an offer that's still on the table?" She sat up a bit, hands resting lightly against her knees, her grey eyes tracking Arc's movements. "I may not need it for long, but it never hurts to know how to defend myself. You know?"

"Of course I don't mind." Arc looked excited by the prospect, her blue eyes alight as she clasped her hands together. "There won't be much time available when we're riding on the road, but times like these are perfect for mini-lessons." Already Arc was thinking what weapon would work best for Ursula -- they had to start with wooden weapons at first, that was a given, but a hatchet would be good, or maybe a staff or short-sword. Her body type was perfect for heavy-handed weapons, but it all depended on what she wanted.

"We could even start now, if you wanted. What weapon do you think you would be most comfortable using?" Arc drew a rune in the air and waited, her excitement getting the best of her.

"Oh, er, I...never really thought much of it." Ursula said sheepishly, taken back by Arc's excitement. She hesitated, going for the easiest answer, and one she was likely to face more often than not in a fight. "A sword, perhaps? Everyone uses them, I can't see a hatchet or a staff as much use against a sword." Chewing her bottom lip, she stood up, dusting the dirt from her trousers. "Now's a good time as any, we still have plenty of light to train by."

"Oh, oh, excellent!" Arc was giggling with glee as she drew from the portal a wooden sword just right for Ursula. She handed over the sword and watched as Ursula got the feel for it slowly. "It's a bit bulky now but over time it will come to feel lighter, I promise." With the rune now closed, Arc took a few steps from Ursula and watched. "Take a few steps and swing it around, just get used to the feeling of a weapon in your hands. It's big, it's clunky, but not for long. Not with practice. But first we must start."

Ursula nodded, taking a step back so not to hit Arc with the wooden sword, as she gave it an experimental swing or two. It was heavy, she could feel the heft of it in her hands, and she rather felt like a child playing at swords rather than properly practicing. A side effect of the wooden sword, she figured. "Big and clunky is right, but...alright." Her grip tightened around the hilt as she looked expectantly to Arc to show her what to do. "I'm ready!"

"If you're so certain." Arc smiled and held out her gauntlet-covered hands for Ursula to strike. "Don't worry. I won't feel your hits, and even so I've a bit of a guard. Come on." Arc gave a nod and waited for Ursula to see if she could hit where she needed to. "Aim for my hands if you please."

Ursula nodded, frowning as she readied herself. She felt...a bit silly, really, but moved forward, striking hard--and missing, swearing as she overbalanced. Catching herself before she could land on the ground, she felt her face heat up, but tried again, and again, each movement coming to her a little more naturally, directed by Arc with each strike to the gauntlets. Farm-bred muscles came in handy, giving the half-dragon real power to her swings, and threatened the poor wooden sword, sturdy though it may be, the chance of shattering against Arc's gauntlets.

There was room for improvement--Ursula's strikes left her wide open for attack, and her footwork was shaky at best. But that could all be learned with enough practice.

"Good, good!" Arc looked pleased with Ursula, grinning wide when she finally clamped her hand down onto the wooden sword and held her there. "There's a lot of natural strength there, that's for sure -- your sword need to be as strong as you can hit." Even though they were covered in steel, her hands were throbbing with the sting of Ursula's blows. Anymore and she would have surely had a cracked gauntlet.

"Overpowering your opponent is all well and good, but there are easier ways to win the battle -- especially if you have more than one foe to fight against." Arc gently took the wooden sword from Ursula's hand and slid it back where it belonged on the other side of her summoning rune. "I'll need to think on a routine but...I think I have a good idea of what would work best for you. We'll start our real training tomorrow at nightfall, okay?"

Obviously excited about the idea, Arc smiled and clasped Ursula's shoulder. "Don't ask Resm about his training with me." She warned quietly. "He's just a bad student."

"Oh, now I have to ask." Ursula said with a smile, rubbing the palm of her dominant hand, not quite used to the sting left behind from wielding a weapon, even if just a training one. "Did you really train him too? He seemed more...magic-y than you are, Arc. I can't quite picture him with a sword or...well, anything, really."

The two began the slow walk to the inn's doors, before Ursula added quietly, "Thank you for the opportunity, Arc. I'll be glad to have the training while it lasts."

"I tried, and that's all I'll say on the matter. Any more and you'll have to ask him yourself." The two women entered the inn giggling with their shared knowledge, a newfound friendship budding between them easily. Arc sighed a bit when the time of the night finally hit her, exhaustion washing over her automatically once she was able to take in the sights and smells of the inn. "Let's get to bed." Not that she was saying that for her own sake, no way. Arc was smiling as they finally curled into bed, their room soon quiet.

That all changed in the morning, a weeping stablehand waking Arc and making her take charge of the horses since Benjamin's warhorse was nipping everyone who dared come near. Arc fixed that easily enough by bringing Button to the stable next to him. She leaned back to watch the stallion nibble at Button's neck, both parts amused and mystified. Hearing approaching footsteps, Arc leaned back to see who it was, expecting Resm at this hour.

The way the stallion's ears perked, temporarily giving Button some relief from nibbling at her neck, suggested it was someone who was bringing goodies. Benjamin paused in the doorway, a bag of apples in his hand, as he cleared his throat. He went to say something, scowling as the stallion whinnied loudly at him. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Damned terror." He grumbled as he entered the stables, pausing to open the bag to Arc, as if to offer the apples inside to her. He spoke gruffly, but without much malice for a man whose head had been slammed with a tankard from her. "Your horse is welcome to one if you want her to have one. Greedyguts there doesn't need to eat all of them--"

As if understanding his words, the stallion snorted loudly at Benjamin, trying to push his neck further out the stall door to get to the bag. Benjamin jerked it out of his reach, snapping, "Knock it off, you'll get one when you get one."

Arc laughed at that, taking the bag of apples from Benjamin's hand and reaching inside to grab one for herself. Digging her thumbs into the dip of the apple, she split it in two and approached Button, one eye on Ben's terror the entire time. "You're spoiling him. No wonder he's so foul-mannered." She said it lightly, teasing, grateful enough for the apple to not let his presence spoil her mood. "Have you thought of a name for him?" Button pressed her lips to Arc's hand gently and picked up the apple for her to eat, chewing noisily with her tail flicking happily. Someone appreciated the apples greatly, hah.

Benjamin grumbled as he tore the apple in two, biting into one half and offering his horse the other. "At this point, Terror has just stuck." The warhorse huffed at him, shaking his mane as he recognized his name. Benjamin shook his head, rubbing against the velvety soft nose of Terror, adding, "I'm not spoiling him that much. He was a pain in the ass before we even bought him..."

"True....but he could still use a bit of etiquette." Were they still talking about the horse, or something else at this point? Arc smiled at the mere thought and let Button finish the last of her apple. Watching Terror eat the apple Benjamin offered him was terrifying to say the least, and yet again Arc wished Button had had a milder horse attach himself to her instead. Button was a perfect lady; calm, gentle, with a powerful kick if need be. Terror on the other hand was in need of a wash, big, brutish, and probably the reason they were being charged an extra silver coin for their stay.

"Were the others up when you came down?" Arc finally asked, ready to be back on the road. "Resm was, no doubt..."

"Resm was, aye." Benjamin nodded. The boy though--Solomon, he was harder to get out of bed. "The twins on the other hand...? The only thing I know is that the girl was going into the room to drag the boy out." He snorted, pulling his hand away from Terror, the war horse soon dismissing him as he returned to pestering the poor mare beside him. "...you might be right on that etiquette bit." He grumbled, swiping at Terror, who only blew at him in retaliation. "Bloody horse. Should have let them turn you into horsemeat..."

He stepped back, muttering under his breath as he picked out another apple from the bag. "So, we'll be getting on the road soon, is that right?"

"Aye, as soon as the others are ready to go. I..." Arc trailed off, wondering, then decided to plow through. "You're...obviously a man of the road, so I hope I can count on you if we run into trouble. I've seen a fair amount in my time, Goddess knows Resm's seen the most, but three heads are always better than one. Well." Arc thought that over, thinking bickering wouldn't be considered 'better' in any sense.

"Sometimes. Depends on the situation. I just noticed you have no weapon on you, and thought maybe you're not prone to fighting." Unlike some people, cough cough. Arc cleared her throat at that sudden intrusive thought.

"I've learned over the years that carrying only invites trouble." Benjamin said easily, biting into the apple in his hand. He wiped the juices that spilled from his mouth, speaking with his mouth full, "I go without. Means I never have to worry about losing a weapon, and if someone can use it against me." He held up a hand, showing her the back of it, the skin callused and scarred with plenty of use. "I stay out of fights if there's no point to them, but I won't shy away from them either, if it comes to it."

He bit into his apple again, commenting, "So you can count on me to watch your back." The corner of his mouth twitched up in something like a grin, but on Benjamin, it was hard to tell. "I might let someone get a knock in first before I move in, of course."

"I don't need you to watch my back -- though the consideration is noted, and appreciated." Arc found herself smiling back, though it was hard to tell if he even meant what he said. "I need your help with the twins and Resm, to a lesser extent. They need to survive -- and I am expendable. When the case arises, should you need to make a choice." It was a hard thing to say, but Arc said it with a low, calm voice, that smile still present. It was just something you were used to as a mercenary; the thought of dying wasn't so alien. And her words made sense. The twins, as clients, needed priority for protection.

Resm was strong, but not as used to battle in the modern age as Arc was. She could hold her own. And that was a little comforting. "That being said, don't count on me leaving your side so soon. I still have to nag you at least until we reach the temple."

He weighed her words carefully, unable to help but look at her in a new light. Before, she was hot-headed, a woman he honestly wanted to throttle because of the way she seemed to go about things--following the twins' words blindly, not questioning, any of it. Now, it was just clear she was determined to finish the job. Stupid, a bit fool-hardy, but...commendable, for a woman who reacts to an insult with a mug to the skull. He crossed his arms, shrugging easily as he said, "...Agreed. I'm on their coin anyway, might as well earn it properly if you decide to bite the dust."

"Glad to hear it." Arc took one last look at the horses and sighed. It wasn't even worth the trouble of getting them out of the stables and waiting for everyone else to leave the inn -- she'd have to go in and wake them up. With a small nod to Benjamin, she left, returning only when she had Resm and the twins at her side. With everyone saddled up and ready to go, they were back on the road, Resm noting the first snow they came across -- and so soon, no less.

When they stopped midday for lunch, there was a light dusting of snow on the ground. It was nothing alarming, but still worth noting, and made the ground mushy and muddy wherever they stepped. Resm left their group to hunt, and when Arc heard footsteps crunching against the frozen grass, she thought it was him returning with food. Standing slowly, Arc realized she was mistaken. "Ben." She warned, softly.

Benjamin was listening intently as well, slowly holding up three fingers to show how many they'd be dealing with. The footsteps were too heavy for human or elf, too long-strided to be a dwarf, and there was something else to the footsteps, as if something dragged behind those walking towards them. Dragons, but why so far away from the south? He shot the twins a suspicious look as he got to his feet slowly, right as the first of three emerged from the trees around them. He ignored Arc and Benjamin, head cocking until he spotted the twins, a smile breaking out over his maw. "Ah, there you are! We have been looking everywhere."

The terrified look in the twins' eyes said this was anything but good, Ursula dragging Solomon up to stumble back with each step the dragons took forward. She was quick to push Solomon behind her, the young man looking as though he was about to throw up, something that earned a laugh from the dragon leading. "What, no hello? I gotta say, that's a little depressing, but...don't expect manners from thieves, right?" He hummed, paying Arcana and Benjamin a dismissive glance. "You even went and hired guards! I'm guessing the third one out there's yours too. Did you guess we'd be coming for you?"

Ursula couldn't speak, her heart beating so hard that it hurt, fight or flight pulling her in two different directions. Her grandfather had a sense of humor, sending that bastard after his grandchildren. Dragon rearing, that was what it came to--show love with a stern hand, or something. Something in her face ached, remembering the blows she had taken from the dragon before her, just so Solomon wouldn't have to, and so she forced down her fear, even as he grabbed her by the tunic to drag her forward. In an instant, he stopped, his gaze dropping to his midriff, a wooden handle protruding from his stomach, and red spreading across his tunic. All from that little knife she carried along their journey, to peel apples and cut into her meals at dinner. Ursula's breath caught in her throat as she grabbed the handle, dragging it further across his stomach before he could react much quicker, and choked out, "Sol, go, now!"

Solomon nearly tripped as he turned, bolting towards the horses, another dragon hot on his heels. Benjamin swore as his feed slid against the mud before he managed to run after--there'd be time for questions later, not while a fight was starting to break out around them.

She should have worked faster -- it was naive of her to think these three came in peace. The first was on his knees before Ursula, useless for now as Arc turned to the one approaching her. Her blade sang as she sliced through him once, cutting the head clean off, then again, slicing him in half as blood exploded onto the ground. Turning from the gore, Arc went to secure Ursula, dragging the second dragon back by his collar only to jerk the knife from his belly and slice his throat clean through in one smooth motion. Dumping the twitching body onto the ground, she swore softly as she drew a rune and locked onto the last remaining dragon.

The ground beneath his feet grew black before swallowing him whole, his body landing with a cracking thump on the ground beside the first dead dragon. Though the fall from such a height would have been enough to kill him, the heart outside of his chest was the obvious cause of death. It pumped weakly once, twice, and then halted. Arc was breathing hard as she surveyed the damage, pushing back her mane of red hair before turning to glare at Ursula. Those blue eyes of her's were fierce in that moment, face scrunched up with anger. "Who were they?"

There was no answer from Ursula, her breath loud and uneven, as she stumbled over to a bush, stomach suddenly heaving. There was blood on her hands, in the air and on the ground, the coppery liquid thick and cloying to her senses. Her stomach rolled again, the half-dragon gagging as she sank to her knees, clapping a hand across her mouth to in vain hopes that nothing else would come up. There was a crash from the undergrowth, Benjamin dragging Solomon back by the arm, only relaxing when he saw the corpse missing its heart laying before Arc. "Thought you had a hand in that...we gotta put up rules about stealing kills now, or something?"

He pushed Solomon forward, the young man stumbling before he came to a stop beside his sister, twitchy and nervous the more he saw that fierce look in Arc's eyes. Both wanted to run, to hide, anywhere but where they were now, but that was well out of the realm of possibility.

"A conversation for another time." Arc grit out, glad to see Solomon was unharmed. This behavior from the twins wasn't altogether surprising -- she recognized those looks, those actions, those frantic decisions. Fuck. There was a lot more to this journey than they had been told, wasn't there? Goddess, but Arc hated escort missions. Taking a deep breath, Arc wiped the anger from her face and replaced it instead with calm sternness. Anger was going to get her nowhere fast.

"I want answers, you two. But first we need to move -- finding Resm would be an ideal as well." Arc glanced at the dead bodies lying about and sighed. She might have enough magic to simply rune them into the brush.... "Take your horses' reins. We're moving. Ben, can you track Resm?"

Benjamin nodded, seating himself on Terror's back. He sniffed slightly, before tugging the horse's reins to the direction they needed to go, saying, "He's not far. Might be coming this way--those dragons were loud enough."

Solomon went to help his sister up, neither looking to disobey Arc's very clear orders--Ursula looked too shaken to think otherwise, and Solomon was ready for it to be over with. Once mounted, they moved to follow after Benjamin, heads kept down and silent. Benjamin glanced back at them, a small frown growing on his face. It wasn't quite what he expected after all that. No protests, no arguments of any sort. Just a dull acceptance that they had fucked up, and were just waiting for the other shoe to drop. He sighed, calling to Arc, "You ready or what?"

"Just a moment." With a flick of her hand, another summoning rune was drawn. This time when the dragons' bodies disappeared, they didn't reappear. Arc turned away from the bloody scene to lead them forward, Benjamin at the helm as they tracked down wherever Resm had ended up. Turns out the dragons were feeling confident for good reason -- they found Resm dumped in a ditch, beaten bloody and groaning with the indignity of it.

Arc dismounted from Button and scrambled down the muddy ditch to her friend, glad the dragons hadn't thought to slit his throat before they continued on. The only reason she knew he was alive was because of all the complaining he was currently doing, that plus the faint glow of his tattoos. It still didn't look good. "They really did a number on you."

Resm coughed up a bit of blood and sighed, limp in Arc's arms. "I knew you wouldn't have trouble with them. That's how this typically plays out."

"If there weren't three, I'm sure you would have done fine." Arc lied. With Benjamin's help they were able to drag the blood elf from the trench, Arc immediately stripping him down to take stock of his wounds. The setting wasn't ideal, but that bloody cough worried her. The multiple bruises were easy enough to place. Pulling their med kit from Button, Arc set to work, aware Resm was breathing shallowly. "Hey kids, now would be a great time."

"He'll be okay, won't he? Can't he just--heal himself?" Solomon asked weakly, guilt squirming in his stomach in an unpleasant manner. Ursula had fallen silent, fists clenching and relaxing, unable to look at Resm and his condition. She tried to keep the trembling from her hands, as Benjamin said sharply, "He'll make it. Now talk, both of you."

Neither spoke, their eyes on the ground, only to flinch as he slammed a fist against a nearby tree, snarling, "Talk! You've got a man injured because of the two of you, the least you owe him--all of us--is a damn explanation!"

"We're sorry." Solomon whispered, folding his arms tight against his chest. "We didn't mean for this to happen."

Ursula finally looked to Resm, her ears falling as she said helplessly, "We just wanted to get away. We didn't think anyone would be sent after us..."

"No mere bandits will track someone up North for seven days. These men wanted something -- something from the two of you." Arc knew she was stating the obvious, but she was frustrated that the twins were refusing to talk. Resm would be unable to heal himself so long as he was too hurt to concentrate, and that meant the loss of precious medical supplies. "We can't help you if you don't let us, Ursula, Solomon. You have to tell us why this happened."

"We took a bag of gold from our grandfather and we ran off." Solomon said quietly, refusing to look up. Summarizing it so neatly felt strange to him, but that was the truth, the long and short of it. "They were probably here to take us back home for him to deal with." He tried to laugh, wishing he could find some humor in the situation. "It...wouldn't have been a very fun trip. The one that Uschi stabbed--" He glanced at his sister, who still looked ill at the thought, scratching at the now dried blood on her hands. "--he was part of why we ran in the first place."

"He beat me and Sol bloody and our grandfather didn't want to do shit." Ursula muttered, a bitter note in her voice. Her hand now clean, she pressed it against the eye that was bruised and swollen before Resm had worked his magic, fingers lingering against a memory of that ache. "Probably thought it was a great laugh that Kassius hired him for bringing us home."

Arc was quiet at that, even Resm staring off in thought at the sky above. So that was the gist of it. The stolen bag of gold would no doubt complicate things, especially once their grandfather found out they had essentially spent all of it. Arc sighed. No. Their grandfather wouldn't find out. "Regardless, they either knew where you were going or they were able to track us. Which...I doubt the second option, given all we've been through."

She bit her lip and looked over the twins. They didn't want to look at her, but pleasantries were done. With Resm hurt this badly they weren't going to be making much progress at all. "They're dead but that doesn't mean your grandfather will stop sending more after you. I think you two need to reconsider your course of action."

"It will be a bit of detour, but...my hometown is near here. A day, maybe two with Resm hurt like this. We can either go there, figure out a new plan, or we can continue to the temple." Arc let out a low sigh, not hearing any objection from Resm. "It's your call."

"We take the detour." Ursula said, the tension running from her shoulders, as she finally looked Arc in the eyes. Insisting on continuing to the temple felt wrong, callous even, with Resm's condition to consider. Even with their desire to get there as soon as possible, neither of them could very well argue to continue on. And a new plan of course would likely be welcome, as well as a chance for Resm to recover safely. She took a deep breath, twisting her fingers as she said quietly, "Th...thank you for not just leaving us, or worse. I know we haven't been upfront, but..."

"We didn't really want to talk about it at all, if we could help it." Solomon finished for her, glancing towards Resm. He pushed up his sleeves, going to help Benjamin with the blood elf, as Ursula offered, "Resm can ride with me. Torte is an easy ride, he won't get bumped or jostled too much."

"Can you sit upright, Resm?" Arc asked, knowing the answer before she even asked. Resm gave a small nod, sitting up and hissing with the rush of pain. Arc pressed a hand to his skin again, feeling slowly for anything unusual. Light internal bleeding, but nothing felt broken or fractured -- ankle was twisted though, damn, Resm faltering as soon as he was on his feet. With Benjamin and Solomon's help he was all but thrown onto Torte, good enough for the moment.

Arc mounted Button and sighed at the sorry sight of her friends -- Resm and the twins alike looked they could benefit from a long bath. Home in of itself sounded good right now. The snow was still just a light dusting, so the trek through the hills wasn't too bad, though they had to stop a few times to consult the map since Resm was currently indisposed. Arc just really hoped Ben wouldn't latch onto the fact that she, too, was from the North. Technically.

Surprisingly, no comment of Benjamin came when they reached the quiet town, and the others were simply glad to see civilization with all its benefits. They followed Arc through the streets, both Solomon and Ursula twisting in their saddles to look at the childhood home of Arc, curiosity plain on their faces despite the recent trouble. Coming home was looking to be the best route, to help take everyone's minds off what happened, to rest and recuperate without having to pay for it.

Benjamin kept any comments he could have to himself, but he couldn't help the amusement growing through him. He had figured her as hard-headed as any Northerner, and now he had confirmation that it came naturally. "How much farther? It won't look good for us to get lost in a village."

"It's been some time since I was last year, but I know where I'm going." Arc led them up one of the hillier parts of the village, Button wickering with excitement when she recognized where they were. Resm managed to open his eyes just in time to see Jaime waddling out of the estate, mouth open as wide as his eyes were growing. "CLAIRE ITS OUR GIRL!" He boomed, running forward to greet Arc.

With a smile the woman dismounted and bent down to meet her father, the man crushing himself into her metal plating. "ARC ME BABY GIRL YOU DIDN'T TELL US YOU'D VISIT!" Jaime turned to look at her group, grin wide. "AND YE BROUGHT FRIENDS!" Jaime was a short, stocky man, with hair as red as Arc's and eyes just as blue. When her mother finally came out, she looked just as hardy, with enough extra weight to get her through the harsh winter nights.

Everyone was piled inside while Arc put away the horses, cider passed around and Resm led to a bed upstairs to rest. Jaime sat at the head of the table and looked excitedly from person to person. He seemed especially interested in Benjamin, all but staring as he asked. "SO! FIRST TIME IN THE NORTH? YE PICKED A GOOD TIME TO TRAVEL!"

"Da, don't bore them." Arc huffed as she entered the house, brushing off stray snow from her fur lining. "Can we use the baths?"

"OF COURSE." Jaime looked a bit disappointed that he didn't get to interrogate her companions. "I'LL DRAW THE WATER." He hurried from his chair and went down into the cellar, leaving the company alone while Claire tended to Resm. "Goddess guide me." Arc sighed. "I always forget how loud that man is."

"He's...certainly very exuberant." Solomon said cautiously, rather taken back at the man's intensity. He looked back to Ursula, the two unable to hold back their laughter, quick to clamp it down into stifled giggles. It hadn't been too bad of a trek, but it just felt good to find something silly to laugh over, some harmless fun. Especially when they looked to Benjamin to see what his thoughts were, his outraged look that he was considered a newcomer to the North sending them back into laughter. He fell into a sulk, arms folded against his chest as he muttered, "'First time in the North'...bah!"

"He was asking everyone, Benjamin, don't get mad when he's asking a blanket question." Arc smiled a little at Benjamin's suffering, having noted her father's interest earlier. Yeah, there was absolutely no way Benjamin was going to avoid being hammered with 100 questions. "Alright you two, youngest get the baths first." Arc motioned for the twins to go when she heard Jaime yell up from the cellar.

Arc took a seat at the table and let out another soft sigh, ignoring her father as he came stomping back up. He lingered in the background as Arc pulled out their map to look over the area; not that she really had to, knowing the area well enough. "Ben, where are you thinking for them? Where could a pair of twins even settle this far North and live?" Leaning back in her chair, Arc crossed her arms and flung her gaze to Benjamin. "I think we're going to have to backtrack."

"They'd honestly be best in staying in this village." Benjamin said, going to sit by her to examine the map. He tapped his finger against the spot where the temple laid. "They want to settle around this area, I know that, but the ground stays frozen even in the summer. There'd be no chance for that little farm of theirs." He shook his head, doubt in his voice. "I know they've said their farm was close by before they left, but...come on. They were kids when they left for the South. Memories get a little mixed up."

"You want them to live to see the next winter, I'd suggest that on our way to the temple, you whittle them down into finding a place here." He said, shrugging. "Er...Jaime, right? There any farmland for sale around here? Or is it all owned by someone?"

"AYE, THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED SINCE YOU WERE LAST HOME, ARCANA." Jaime gave a small nod, bringing two steaming cups of ale to the table for Arc and Benjamin to drink. Arc took her's immediately, eager for something warm while they waited their turn in the baths. "THERE'S A BIT OF LAND LEFT, AND THE BUTCHERS WOULD BE LIKING ANOTHER ANIMAL FARM, I KNOW. THEY FRIENDS OF YOURS?"

Of that, Arc knew. She nodded. "THEN WE CAN WATCH EM. MAKE SURE THEY SETTLE -- COLDIRON GUARANTEE." Claire was finally coming down the stairs, wiping ointment from her hands onto her pants as she spoke, "That would be fun, surely, it's been so long since we had anyone to look after."

"Land is cheap out here." Arc murmured, "And the people are nice. It's close-knit. That's a good thing to be when something sudden goes awry."

"See?" Benjamin shrugged, taking a drink from the ale. It was good, just a bit of spice to it, something to keep the belly warm and colds at bay. He drank deeply the next time, wiping his mustache as he said, "It'll be a few days before Resm's fine to move again. Take 'em around the village, let 'em see what it's like. They seemed interested when we were riding through...maybe you won't have to convince them to stay if they find something they like about it."

Surprisingly well thought, for a man who positioned himself like a brute. He finished his ale, thanking Jaime for the drink, with half the mind to find the brewery so he could somehow take home a barrel when they were all done with this job. Ursula and Solomon soon returned from the cellar, fresh and cleaned, and both quick with their manners to thank Claire and Jaime for their hospitality, all sincere smiles and thanks. Benjamin nudged Arc, asking, "You first or me?"

"You go. I still have a few things to discuss with my parents." Arc waved him on, Jaime's booming heard even when Benjamin finally made it to the cellar, "WHUT? YE CAN GO TOGETHER, ARC, WE'RE ALL ADULTS HERE." Arc's groan followed, the woman shushing her father quickly. By the time Benjamin was done, Resm was sitting at the table, sipping his own mug of ale. It was too late to show the twins around that night, but tomorrow held new promise.

Arc woke them bright and early, dressed for once in something besides her armor. "Up and at em, kids, we gotta go to market!" She called, slamming open the guest room door. Since Resm was still nursing his twisted ankle, Benjamin was forced to come along, lest Jaime adopt him while Arc was gone. "Watch for ice!" Arc called, the group on foot this time as they explored the vilalge.

"Next time she wakes us up this early, she's getting a pillow to the face." Solomon muttered, huddling deeper into his jacket as Ursula only nodded. Benjamin snorted, skirting around a patch of ice as he caught up to Arc, the twins trailing behind. It had a good mix of people, no particular race dominating over another, and while there was certainly the promise of inter-village drama as there was in any small town, people greeted each other warmly enough, stopping Arc to catch up on how she was. There was no mistaking where that head of red hair came from, after all.

Ursula watched quietly as they walked, grey eyes flitting back and forth over everyone they passed. It was a nice place, where everyone seemed to know one another, and eager to greet newcomers like the twins and Benjamin. Something of it made her heart ache, that familiar homesickness digging deep into her. Solomon took it easier, simply happy to get out of the wilderness and back along cobbled streets, hurrying forward as they caught sight of the bustling market, people chattering loudly as they bartered and dealt, the smell of food raising high like a cloud of steam. It sent his mouth watering--they hadn't yet gotten breakfast before getting dragged out. "Arc, we can get something to eat while we're here, right?"

"Oh sure. If I remember right..." Arc glanced around the crowd of stalls, expression lighting up once she spotted an once-familiar bakery. The counter was lined with pastries and breads of all kinds, protected by a glass case for those who were a bit too tempted to steal something up. "Alright, take your pick. I'll buy." Arc offered, scoffing when the twins thanked her heartedly. Giving one look at Ben, Arc sighed and said, "You too, but pick something reasonable."

"Very generous." He said dryly, glancing up as a white-scaled dragon stepped out from the back, quick to wipe his hands clean of flour on his apron. "Ah! Good morning, everyone. Let me know when you find something you like." He caught the stare that Solomon had for him, tipping him a small wink as he turned back to his counter, grabbing dough to shape it into something extra sweet. Solomon flushed, turning his gaze back to the display case, before he grabbed Ursula's arm with a wide smile, dragging her to one side of the case. "Oh! They have kreple!"

He crouched to look at the rounded pastries, stuffed with what looked to be cherry filling and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Ursula was equally delighted, giving Arcana an imploring look, as she asked, "Could we get these? Please? You'll like them too, I bet!"

Benjamin had opted for a small pie, filled with pecans and smelling of cinnamon. The dragon was quick to pull them out as needed, asking, "To go or for here? I'll get two tables set up for you four." He nodded to the small tables at the front of the bakery, that only had enough room for two people each. Like anyone looking to make a few extra coins, he was quick to ask, "Anything to drink? We've got hot cocoa, coffee and tea from the South..."

After learning what a kreple was, Arc agreed to purchase the cherry-filled pastries, one for each of them plus Benjamin's pie. It wasn't going to take her long to eat the pastry, so she wasn't keen on sitting and waiting, but the twins insisted. Somehow Arc found herself sharing a table with Ben and while it was not completely horrible, she did end up knocking her knees against his accidentally more than once. "I remember when his father used to run that stall. Good to see it's being passed down through the family."

Arc took a bite into her kreple and swiped her tongue against her lower lip to chase some cherry flavoring -- a very sexy look, of course. She wasn't one to order anything to drink, but Solomon was staring just a bit too much at the handsome dragon. "Going to get something to drink, Solomon? Maybe a tall glass of water?" She teased, taking another bite.

"Huh--what?" Solomon broke his staring, blinking as he settled back into reality. The poor boy had been hit hard by a crush out of nowhere, in the form of a dragon who knew how to bake and looked damned good in a flour-covered apron. He blushed when he realized what she was talking about, sinking into his chair as the dragon approached, pouring them exactly that. He smiled at the shrinking Solomon, offering a hand to him. "Newcomers, right? Name's Jericho. Always nice to see new faces in town."

"Solomon." He breathed, grasping his hand for a moment, quick to pull it back so he wouldn't linger. He wasn't looking to die of embarrassment that day. "I--yeah, we're...passing through."

Benjamin watched the two start their small talk, Jericho soon coaxing a shy smile from the half-dragon, knees bumping against Arc's as he shifted again in his chair. "That kid might not need much convincing to stay." He glanced at her, a faint chuckle escaping him. She had almost gotten all of the flavoring, but a bit of powdered sugar dotted against her upper lip. "Hey, uh. Arc." He tapped his upper lip. "Might wanna..."

"One down." Arc smiled, watching Solomon fumble around Jericho. If all it took was a cute boy to keep Solomon around that would be easy enough -- especially since one was right in front of him. Now there was just Ursula; arguably the harder egg to crack. But her attention was pulled when Ben pointed out the powdered sugar remaining on her lip. With a little frown, Arc understood what he said and flicked her tongue up to lick her lips. Which was...not sexy, to say the least.

Turning back to the twins, Arc gave Ursula a look of pity and nodded away from Solomon. They could always leave him to flirt and keep looking around.

Ursula gave her a grateful look, the awkward third wheel to the conversation, slipping out of her chair easily enough. Solomon wasn't looking to protest everyone leaving, Jericho soon sliding into Ursula's spot as the two continued to chat happily. Benjamin snorted, finishing up the rest of his pie before he stood, grabbing his coat and then Arc's, holding it out for her. "So, what did you have in mind for this trip into town?"

Arc shrugged on her coat and fluffed out her hair, giving Ursula a small smile. "I thought it would be good to find a farm nearby that Ursula could see. The North is different, after all, farming included." She led them through the streets, glad as the day started to warm slowly as the minutes passed. By noon it would be 65, maybe 70 by 3 pm. There was a farm lining the village, the man and woman running it giving the three a friendly wave as they passed.

These were human -- and seemed to recognize Arc, chatting excitedly about the young woman's life thus far. "Ooh, look at this guy!" The man laughed, motioning to Benjamin. "You finally grabbed a Northerner to come home and settle with, huh?" Already, this assumption was getting tiring.

"You know I like them constantly shirtless." Arc muttered dryly.

"The best kind!" The woman laughed, swatting at her husband's bare chest. He caught her hand, pulling her in for a kiss, as she shrieked and protested about how dirty he was. Benjamin cleared his throat, glancing away from the lovey dovey display. Ursula had walked ahead of them, a critical eye sweeping over the farm and how it was being run, unnoticed by her companions. Benjamin waited until the display was over with, saying dryly, "Well, can't expect a southerner to keep up with that one, right?"

"Not you too." Arc sounded exasperated, giving Ben a frown until she realized Ursula had walked off. The halfling was seemingly content where she was, raising a hand when Arc called to her. "Well, she's happy. Is it alright if we leave her here with you?" With a knowing smile, the farmers nodded and shooed off Benjamin and Arc, leaving them to their own devices. "People need to mind their own business." She muttered as they walked off to sit on the central fountain. "We can take my feelings into account, but there's you as well. Always with 'settling down' and having a 'bushel of children'. Bah."

Arc threw a coin in the water and watched it sink, looking a bit depressed. "You got someone waiting for you at home? I'm single, so they can jab all they want." Arc glanced at Ben, did a quick up-down, and looked away. "Someone surely likes the bear pelt."

 

"If it makes you feel better, I'm probably due a jab or two my way." Benjamin said with a shrug. He was on the road too often, working too much to look for someone who would like the bear pelt, so to speak. He caught the next coin that she was about to toss in, adding, "Wishing for someone doesn't do much good, either."

He settled back, watching people come and go through the central square. "So--let me take a guess. You work too hard, you're on the road too much, and sure, the guy you travel with often enough is handsome, but he's either not your type or you're not his." Benjamin began to rifle through his jacket pocket, mildly glad the twins had forced it into his hands--he could carry his tobacco and pipe now, instead of stashing it in a pouch by his belt. "Am I on the money for why you're single?"

"Close enough. You forgot to mention the fact that people fear me, but sure. Close enough." Arc laughed, wanting to reach out and grab her stolen coin back, but Ben was too quick. "Hard to find someone who wants to travel too. This is the ideal, isn't it? Moving to some quiet village, settling down, having a bundle of kids with someone you love and then dying." Arc pulled her knees to her chest and stared out at the people, envious of their smiling faces. "For some it works. For others..." She pulled back and dipped a finger into the fountain, watching it pool. "...others like fighting too much to settle."

"Resm, is, by the way, not my type. He's like a brother to me, besides that. Total history nerd, and not nearly beefy enough for me." Arc flushed at that implication and shook her head, loosening all that damn red hair. She brushed it back with a laugh and turned away, just slightly. "When I saw you first, I thought you were so handsome. And then you mistook me for a prostitute! I still can't believe it."

"Mother take me, you're still hung up on that?" He asked, a small groan escaping him. It hadn't been a malicious mistake, just one born out of tiredness and a lack of attention to the patrons of the bar that day. Lighting his pipe, he puffed on it for a moment, the air filled with sweet smoke, before he asked mildly, "So do you still think I'm handsome, or has that particular ship sailed?"

He chuckled easily, glancing over the passerby again. "You keep saying stuff like that, someone's going to think you might like the idea of settling instead."

"Don't have to like the idea of settling to think someone is handsome." Arc laughed at the very idea, getting his attention by pushing his pipe away from her. The smell of smoke wasn't one she enjoyed, and she liked the vapors going as far from her as possible. "You think the thought, take them home, roll around a bit, and if it's nice enough keep them for awhile. Hardly settling, I think. The outcomes are....largely different." Whether that was a tease or not was hard to tell, Arc getting to her feet and wiping her ass of stone dust.

"You're alright, I supposed." Arc did another, rather exaggerated up-down look. "Hmm. Style the beard just a tad...and certainly keep the jacket, it's a nice touch. We might be in business. As for myself...well, if you mistake me for a high-end prostitute you can't afford, that's a compliment somewhere."

"If it gets you to stop complaining about it, Arc." He said easily, tapping the ashes out against his boot. Admittedly, he'd take this Arc over snappy, overly aggressive Arc. She actually possessed a sense of humor, and that laugh wasn't something he'd mind hearing again. Stowing the pipe for the time being, he moved to get to his feet, adding, "For the meantime, I'll put you down as a solid 'maybe', eh? I'd say you're not half bad yourself, but." He shrugged, hands tucking into his jacket, a chill settling over the town once more. "Well, woman like yourself knows damn well that's an understatement."

He looked up to the old clock that dominated the village square. "So...just you and me. Want to just waste time while those two play around?"

"Yeah. I know the perfect place." Tucking that compliment away for her to ponder later, Arc waved Benjamin over to the outskirts of town, where they found a dip in four conjoining hills. It made a neat circle, about 15 feet wide around and perfect for some good old sparring. Arc took off her gloves and shoved them in her back pocket, rolling up her sleeves and pushing back her hair into a tight ponytail. She looked up expectantly at Benjamin, curious to see what he would offer.

Her first throw hit his open palm squarely, light enough that it felt like a muted high-five. "Still can't believe you don't carry around a weapon. But with muscles like that there's hardly a need." Like Arc could talk -- what little of her arms were revealed showed just how strong she was. She threw another punch and smiled when he caught it easily. "Can't very well fight someone twice my height with just bare fists."

"If that's your way of hinting you want to bring weapons into this, you can forget this little sparring match." Benjamin said, his eyebrows raising. "I'm not looking for a close shave here."

He moved his open palm quickly, so her fist would strike against that than against his upper arm. "Something is telling me that if you went no weapons against someone taller than you, it'd be your opponent we'd have to worry for..."

“ You're no fun." Arc took his hand and pulled him back, letting him stumble past her as she waited, looking triumphant. "I do have one trick...but you'd probably die, let's be honest." She motioned to her thighs, the poor things trapped in some very tight buckskin pants. "These have killed before."

That actually earned a laugh from Benjamin, a deep, rich sound that rumbled up from his chest. He turned swiftly, foot hooking against her ankle, pulling her off balance as he said, "There's definitely worst fates than dying with your head trapped between a woman's thighs."

"Oof!" Arc tried to stop herself from falling and failed, rolling to her feet with a dissatisfied sigh. "Shame on you for laughing at good people dying." Though she still had energy to joke, most all her energy was at the moment on trying to figure out how to topple him. It was so much easier to just stab people, fuck this hand-to-hand bullshit. Taking a few steps back, Arc got a running start at Ben, hooking one leg around his waist and the other around his neck, toppling him head-first into the grass. "There we go."

She was already breathing hard, tired from having to throw herself at a stationary opponent. Moving her hair from her face, she rolled off him and pretended to pin one of his arms to his back. "...Are you fucking growling at me?" At the noise, Arc laughed, unbelieving.

Benjamin had to suck in a deep breath, suddenly going limp under her as he forced himself to relax. He knew it was just a friendly spar, it wasn't a real fight, but some experiences were so ingrained in him--he could feel his teeth lengthening, his jaw cracking as it shifted and grew, fingernails digging into the dirt to hide the way they grew long and clawlike. He bucked her off suddenly, saying dismissively, "You're hearing shit. Taken too many blows to the head or something."

He straightened up, boots shifting in the dirt as he took up a stance once more. "Once more. You can't be tired already."

Arc remained on the ground for only a moment, a small frown on her face now. Something didn't seem right. Wondering if her actions had triggered something, she resolved not to do it again, instead throwing a few more hits into Ben's open palms. But it was obvious the energy from before was gone, leaving Arc a little disappointed...though she wasn't sure what she had been expecting anyway. Shit.

She threw one last half-hearted punch, opening her mouth to suggest they call it quits. She looked like a hot mess; their brief sparring left her hair loose and wild in minutes, with a single bead of sweat rolling down her neck and into her open shirt. But there was color in her cheeks, and an imprint of a smile on her lips, something so rare in the normally passionate woman.

Benjamin caught her by the wrist, pulling her forward out of instinct, his arms wrapping around her as she collided against his chest. The lack of effort she was putting into the sparring showed now, but he chalked it up to exhaustion, the result of a long journey finally taking something of a toll on her. He huffed as he looked down at her, a mess of a woman, sweat-slicked and red in her cheeks, that cute hint of a smile against her lips--and leaned forward, fingers curling into her hair as he pressed a kiss against those parted lips.

Oh. Oh. The kiss was...not unwelcome, and rather distracting at that. Arc froze for only a moment before leaning into it, feeling this was the natural progression of things though their start was so very sharp and shattered. Benjamin being as tall as he was, Arc had to reach on her tip-toes, neck craned to allow herself full access to these gruff lips pressed against her own. It lasted for only a second, yet felt so long, Arc pulling away slowly breathing even harder.

But she wanted more, so Arc looped her arms around his neck and met him halfway for another kiss, aware they were visible for all to see, aware they were doing this in her hometown of all places, aware that this could be equal parts right and wrong. Still, she liked the feeling of Ben's rumbling chest pressed against her.

He honestly expected to get slapped for the kiss. But a second one? That was easily a welcomed surprise. He deepened the kiss for just a moment longer before he broke it, not pulling away as he rested his forehead against hers, a quiet chuckle escaping him. "So...a good match. We should practice together more often, I think."

Benjamin stepped back finally, hands lingering against her waist for a small second. He had missed the feel of a woman pressed up against him, her lips on his, someone to hold onto for a bit. She felt good, against him, and he rather wished they weren't out in the open, wanting that for just a bit more. Benjamin cleared his throat, looking away as he said roughly, "But you have to work on that stamina. Small wonder your fights are so quick. I suppose any longer and you'd start losing the upper hand."

"Some would say that speed is efficiency at work." Arc laughed, breathless from his affections. She ran her hands down his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his jacket playfully as they stood idle. That glance away -- how cute, was he shy? Smiling at the thought, Arc finally stepped back and gave him some space, though she could have sworn his hands at her hips tightened their grip just slightly in protest. "But I'll agree to more training.."

And maybe more, eventually. But not today, not when they had the twins they were supposed to be watching. "...let's get back. We'll want to find Ursula and Solomon before they find us." With that lingering in the air, they made their way back to where the twins had been left; gathering first Solomon and then Ursula, they walked back to Arc's house to relax. When they arrived, Resm was waiting, sitting at the table playing checkers with himself. Jaime and Claire must be in the forge, then. Arc went to find them while everyone else settled in.

On the way back, they had to listen to Solomon gush about Jericho, a blush gracing his cheeks the more he spoke of him. He was completely smitten, so much so that he didn't notice the short responses he received from his twin, who seemed preoccupied with other things. The minute they were inside, he was dashing up to the room he and Ursula were sharing, declaring, "I'll be going out tonight!"

Ursula frowned slightly, trying to warn him to stay close as Benjamin clapped her shoulder, saying, "Let him have some fun. A town like this, he's not going to run into trouble."

He left her in the entry way, on his way to check on the horses. Ursula sighed and pulled off her jacket, kicking her boots off to the side, before retreating further into the house. She slowed as she spotted Resm playing his game of checkers, guilt clenching a tight fist in the pit of her stomach. Right. It was because of her and Solomon that he was even laid up, trying to get better.

She chewed her bottom lip, hesitant to approach further--they had shared maybe a few words together along their trip, never really talking one on one. Odd to try now, but...she sighed, pulling a chair out to sit across him, unable to yet look him in the eye as she watched him continue to play. "So...I'm guessing you feel a little better?"

"A little, yes." Resm picked up a worn red piece and moved it slowly across the board. His turn done, the blood elf sat back and stared at the lineup of pieces. Was he playing a game against himself? "Sadly enough that was not my first experience being beaten bloody by thugs and it is unlikely to be my last. I'm grown somewhat accustomed. Albeit, it is still unpleasant each time." He bit his lower lip and reached out, moving a black piece this round.

"I am glad they did you no harm. My healing magic soothes, but it can not prevent initial pain of a fight. It was good Arc was with you and not I." He moved yet another piece, this time capturing a black disc and adding it to one side of the board. Seems he was even on both ends. "How was your walk about town?"

"Fine. A man caught Solomon's eye. Benjamin and Arc finally caught each other's." She said. The two tried to hide it, but their all-too-casual behavior only confirmed her suspicions. Ursula sat back, watching Resm play against himself, before reaching to take a black piece to move it forward. She couldn't play chess to save her life, but checkers was nearly universal. "They took me to see some farmland by the village. It was...nice."

She waited for his move, leaning back with her arms folded across her chest, as she said slowly, "I'm...sorry for what happened. I'm glad you feel better, but...we shouldn't have even put you in that situation in the first place."

"It's hardly worth apologize for...though I do appreciate the gesture." Resm thought for only a moment before moving his own piece. "If you'd like to play, should we start the board anew?"

"I--oh." Her hand jerked back from the board, her face reddening. From her childhood, she remembered the old men who would have little tables set up along the sidewalks of her old village, a board set up and anyone allowed to join in, game halfway done or not. She couldn't expect it to be the same with an elf as old as Resm. "We can, yes. I just thought to talk and play, maybe..."

Resm cleared the board easily enough, helping Ursula sort through the pieces until they were ready to start a new game. Resm allowed Ursula the first move, followed by a surprisingly aggressive move of his own. "Even though I remember the rules of chess, I find it isn't terribly fun to play with others as they continuously forget the rules. Checkers is simple." Resm stopped speaking for a moment, coughing into his fist quietly.

His tattoos flashed an angry red before fading, the blood elf leaning forward against the table as he waited. "Though you're a bright young woman, Ursula -- are you fond of chess?"

She felt no need to lie, laughing quietly as she said, "I'll disappoint you. I don't care much for it. My father was a fan of it, and tried teaching it to Solomon and me. My brother took to it better than I did." Ursula made her move, more cautious than his, or seeming to. "So he'll volunteer more than me if you set up a game."

She chanced a look to his face, resting hers against her hand as she considered the tattoos, and finally gave voice to something she wondered for awhile now. "Those are magic, yes? That's why they glow sometimes?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, very magical indeed." Resm smiled at her somewhat obvious observation, knowing the woman had likely never seen anything like it -- as was the same for everyone else being introduced to Resm. He was the last of his kind, after all. "When I was younger I had myself embedded with spells and runes to aid me throughout my life. I was already naturally magical, if course, but this amplified things exceptionally."

He moved his piece after a moment's thought, looking pleased though they had only had three moves yet. "You've a taste of magic, yourself."

"Most dragons do." Ursula said, capturing his piece to set it aside. "So I suppose even half dragons get a smidge of it...just not as grand as what you or Arc can do." Shrugging, she waited for his next move, claws tapping lightly against the wood of the table. "Was it strange? To do what you did. Or was that just something your kind did back then?"

"Hmm, a mixture of both. It was a tradition of our royal family to receive at least one tattoo....and I chose my entire body." Resm took a piece from Ursula and smiled. "It was unusual, true, but it also meant I had a wealth of magic and strength. At the time it seemed like a good idea. But I was young, and now I must deal with the repercussions." His eyes walked the board and, seemingly happy with the current standing, waited for Ursula to make her move.

"What repercussions are those?" She asked, frowning slightly. That sounded ominous, really. Making her last move, she settled back, arms folded across her chest as she added, "That is...if you'd like to share. I don't mean to pry, Resm. I just...don't know that much about you."

She finally looked up, her eyes holding his, and for once she didn't look away out of shyness or embarrassment. Or fear. "But I'd like to."

"The stares, mostly." Resm laughed, recognizing the surprise on Ursula's face at such a mundane answer. "It's hardly anything so deep or dark -- people just like to stare. Honestly, it's something of a conversation starter at times. Of course, there's the whole, 'with great power comes great responsibility' ideology, but that hardly matters when you're just some mercenary. If I was on the throne, well, that would be a different story entirely. But no, my brother's descendants seem to be doing well and told me very firmly to not bother them."

Taking his piece on the far right of the board, Resm took three of Urusla's pieces and turned his own around to make a King. "Did Arc ever tell you how she and I met? Or really, how I came to live in this time?"

"She's only told me that you make a poor student when it comes to training." She smiled slightly, forgetting the game for a moment. "But...I did wonder. Solomon and I tried taking guesses at how you lived so long, but...I doubt any of them came close." She caught a piece of his, adding mildly, "It...wouldn't happen to be that you awoke because you felt as though your kingdom was in danger...?"

There may or may not have been money riding on that question, but she could lose a few coins to Solomon if it wasn't the case. She paused, watching as her brother slid down the stairs, barely stopping to say a goodbye as he dashed out the door. A quiet scoff escaped her. "...Figures he meets a boy. Anyway...so, the story? How does it go?"

Resm snorted with wonder. "Hardly. But I'll award points for creativity, all the same. No, I was cursed by a witch hired by my two elder brothers." Content to lean back and share his story, Resm closed his eyes as his tattoos thrummed to life with memory magic. But he shut it off quickly, the pain of the memory still too strong. "She sealed me inside a sword and kept me captive for a thousand years, passing me from child to child until one grew bored of me and threw me in some fresh ruins." Resm waved in Arc's direction, eyes still closed. "Arc found me, and freed me. That is the short of it."

"That's...a very quick summary." Ursula said, staring at him. A betrayal by family. She couldn't even imagine how hard that was for him. Resting her head in her hands, she watched him with a curious look, mouth thinned in a frown. "You seem to have accepted it. But I imagine with so long a life, that's inevitable. How did she manage to free you? A curse has to be broken, I suppose."

"She brought me home -- to the ruins of Kuriane." Resm finally opened his eyes, the rich green teeming with an unspoken sadness. He had come to terms, maybe, but that did not erase his feelings. "Driven out by a plague that swallowed all it touched, those unaffected were the only ones to survive -- all else was lost to chaos. The royal family that sits on the throne now are from my brothers, yes, but...." They were so different from himself, lacking green eyes and even the blood magic that gave their race its namesake. "Much has changed. And seeing that for myself released my curse."

"I...I am sorry." Resm suddenly pitched forward, eyes back on the game. "Can we speak of something else?"

"Of course." She said quickly, chewing at her lip as she picked up her move, capturing two of Resm's pieces. Soon there was only a handful of red and black pieces left on the board. Ursula waited for his move, grey eyes hooded as she watched the quickness of his fingers. "It's looking as though you might win this round. It's been some time since I played a game." Ursula moved, sliding a piece forward. "I used to watch, back home. Old men with their boards, always trying to get someone to play. My father used to join them, when we went to town." She smiled slightly. "They'd play and talk, and eventually start to argue...the swearing, God. But it was never serious, they'd always buy a drink for each other when the game was won."

She sat back chewing on a claw as she waited for his move, now reduced to two pieces. Once one was caught, he would be the winner of that round. "I miss things like that. It was never like that with my grandfather."

Resm said nothing at first, his hands hesitant to make a move on the board. He was the obvious winner of this game and it made easy sense why -- with his tattoos glowing the whole time, he was subconsciously tapping into memories of past games. But still he hesitated. "Your grandfather sounds like a....character." That was the nicest / meanest thing Resm could manage, sighing softly as he took her second piece. "It takes courage to leave someone like that; he was family, after all. But even family can be toxic."

"I've won the game." Resm smiled with delight, leaning back in his chair to gloat. "Good show, Ursula."

"Stop it, it was terrible and you know it." She gave him a smile, not at all concerned over her loss. Picking up the pieces, she carefully dropped them into the little box that kept those and the board safe, adding, "My grandfather was a prick. And he's not someone I have to be around anymore, so..." She fell quiet for a moment, before shrugging, her jaw tightening in a stubborn manner. "I'm not going to concern myself with him. Right now, I'm...enjoying time with you, and Arc...even Benjamin, when he's not being rude. I'd rather focus on that."

"You and Arc seem to get along well." Resm agreed with a small nod, hoping to dissolve the tension in her features. "It is good to see that -- for both of you." Not that Resm was really trying with either Ben nor Solomon -- perhaps there was a bit of effort needed on his part, as well. With a small hum of thought, Resm twisted himself in his seat and attempted to get up -- favoring one leg heavily over the other. "Would you help me up the stairs?"

"Ah--of course." She moved to his side, offering her shoulder for him to lean on, as she helped him up the stairs. Ursula couldn't help but smile at a rather undignified image, asking, "How did you even get down in the first place? I hope you didn't have to scoot down the stairs on your ass."

Resm burst out laughing at that, wheezing so hard they had to pause on the stairs before he went tumbling back down. "S-scooting....on my....!" They eventually made it to the stop of the stairs, Resm still wheezing for breath as he softly said, "I had Arcana's mother help me down good Lady." Finally back in the guest bedroom, Resm started to unlace his shirt in preparation for bed, muttering all the while under his breath about 'strange women'. "Thank you, by the way. We should play another game of checkers when the moment is right. There might not be many left. What with your move."

Resm turned to Ursula and waited, seemingly surprised when she remained. His shirt was completely unlaced, just a peek of his bare chest visible and the tattoos decorating his dark skin. "I'm terribly sorry, but might I have a moment to undress?"

"Mm? Oh!" She darkened, averting her eyes quickly as she hurried away. How embarrassing...she didn't mean to stare, she was really just curious about his tattoos. He really wasn't lying about being tattooed along his entire body. She called quickly over her shoulder, "S-sorry!"

Benjamin paused as he rubbed Terror down, sensitive ears picking up the faint call from indoors. Unconcerned, he went back to rubbing down the demanding stallion, who blew and stamped his hooves whenever he stopped. "...Arc is right, you are spoiled..."

"What was that?" Having exited from the smithy at just the right moment, Arc caught those damning words and it brought a smile to her face easily. Trying not to gloat too hard over her small victory, Arc closed the door slightly behind her to fend off the cold and took a seat on a nearby pile of hay. Of course her family didn't have enough room for all the horses -- their tiny stable could only hold two, and Terror being the way he was, the other horse had to be Button. The other horses were wandering about the fenced yard out back, since there was no need to worry about them just yet with the extreme cold still some months away.

"Resm is doing better -- he's limping, but I think it might become obvious to the twins that we're stalling for time." Arc admitted after a moment, leaning back against the wooden stall. "Solomon ran out to meet his new boyfriend, but we still have Ursula to win over. And honestly, I'm coming up blank. She wasn't impressed with the farms here, and no one has caught her eye like what happened with Solomon..."

"She's close to her brother." Benjamin said, turning to her. He swiped at Terror as the stallion tried to nibble at his hair, adding in a grumble, "If he settles, I imagine she'll be close by. Maybe with some time, she'll find something else to keep her here."

He couldn't see it being such a quick thing for Ursula, not with how she kept things at a distance. But he shrugged and have Arc a stern look. "You're worrying too much about those kids. You need a break."

"Last I checked, it was my job to worry about these kids." Arc answered with a soft laugh, moving closer to Ben. That kiss from earlier was still on her mind in all honesty, the warmth of his lips growing too faint a memory too quickly. It was good to see Ben like this too -- a little less wild man, a little more human than usual though he was still all grumbles. Well. She was already off the hay stack, close enough for their lips to brush against each other again. "Though a distraction would be welcome, if you're wanting."

"I think that I could provide." Benjamin said, tilting her face up to his. He kissed her, beard tickling her face, his time taken a little carefully this round. Soft as he remembered, a hint of wild lavender--he remembered seeing dried cuttings of it hanging in her mother's kitchen, and wondered if it came from that. His kiss deepened, hands running up her sides and pulling her close to his chest, tight against the furnace he called a body. No small wonder he could get away with just a kilt and a bear's pelt, when not bullied into the jacket--the man was hot as a fire, perfect for warming a cold woman up on some winter day.

Arc pulled away from the kiss only long enough to straddle Benjamin -- stilling when her horse huffed judgmentally. "Oh, shove it." Arc laughed, making a face at Button before pulling Benjamin back for more. Gentle was not the word she would have used for the man, but count her pleasantly surprised all the same. Even if she smelled as sweet as lavender, Ben was no stranger either, the baths in her house making sure of that. Smelling a familiar scent on him was kind of....nice. Arc leaned down and gave him a small lovebite, amused when he jumped, just a little. "Sorry, too hard?"

"Nah." He smirked slightly, his hands squeezing firmly at her ass in retaliation. She wouldn't be the type to go in slow, he should've realized. No mucking about when she knew what she wanted--and that it was him stoked that fire deep inside. "Just didn't pick you for leaving marks." He reached up, thumb trailing against her jaw, tugging on her chin for more kisses. Now he grew rough, a little demanding in his attention, cupping that generous curve of her ass. Idly he wondered how hard she'd deck him if he--to hell with it. There came a small crack, his hand landing firmly against her ass, a small something for that love bite she has left behind.

To that, Arc replied in an...unexpected way. Instead of being angry at the blow, or at least put-off, Arc let out a shaky moan and met each following kiss almost frantically. Okay. So someone liked it a bit rough -- and judging by the shift in his lap, she was suddenly wanting a bit more than kisses. They shared a few more -- deep, breathless, amazing kisses -- until it was very clear both parties were hot and bothered. If you had told Arc she'd be hopping on that rude dick just a week after their spat, she'd laugh in your face. Now, though...

"Damn you." Arc laughed, color high in her cheeks. "The fact that I..." The woman trailed off, distracted by the sound of footsteps approaching the stables. She frowned but did not move, waiting to see who the interloper was.

A low growl escaped Benjamin, not at all pleased to have an interruption. Not with the way she kept squirming against his lap, getting blood pumping in an all too good way. He swore under his breath at the uncertain voice of Ursula, keeping herself situated at the entrance to the small stables. "Arc? Um."

The half-dragon rubbed at the back of her neck, suddenly all too aware she was walking into something she had no business in seeing. Her words sounded silly to her own ears, a lame attempt at explaining herself. "I thought maybe we could get more training in, since we'll be here a few days, but, um. I can find you later, if you'd like."

The fact that Ursula wasn't ashamed to actually speak up told Arc how much the young woman wanted to train. She reined in her disappointed sigh and smiled instead. "Sure. Will you give me just a few seconds? Thank you." Once Ursula had ducked out of the barn, Arc leaned in close and whispered, "Go find the softest, nicest patch of green in the forest out back and report to me in an hour." She gave the northerner one last kiss on the lips before walking out to meet Ursula, feeling accomplished at the moment.

"Did Solomon run out for his date already? It's hardly even dark." Arc pushed back her mussed up hair and drew a rune, grabbing for them two wooden swords. "Is he...was he....you know, always like this? He's acting like it's his first date."

Ursula took the wooden sword in hand, giving it a few experimental swishes. From where they stood, she could see a sulking Ben finally leaving the stable, and oddly away from the house. She shrugged slightly, dismissing it out of hand, before she answered, "Always like how, do you mean?" She paused to roll up her sleeves, adding, "But...yeah, I guess it is his first time going on a date."

"I'm just shocked that it's a dragon, honestly." She said. "I mean, I'm not, he's...you know, handsome, and he seems nice, and Solomon likes him, but..." Using herself as an example, she passed a hand over her face. "We're too flat-faced. For a dragon, at least. They don't go for humans, usually...and definitely not half-dragons."

She followed Arc's footwork, carefully settling into a stance. "So...Jericho's his first anything. I hope they have fun tonight."

"Well, 'usually' implies that there's a bit of wiggle room, right?" Arc smiled at that and held her own stance, letting Ursula take a few practice swings at her. The sound of wood against wood was jarring, but less so than the clash of steel on steel. "I hope they do too. It's nice to see him get so excited. You're not so eager to find someone?" Arc asked this softly, not judging, as she pressed against Ursula's defenses both physically and emotionally. "If you want to tell me."

"I...I'm not in the process of looking. I'd really just want to go home first." Ursula said quietly, her blows against the sword raining down harder in that moment. She pulled back, aware of it, and tried again, hitting at the offered sword with a smidge less of force. "Maybe when we're home. It's just...not a priority. Not that it isn't nice, or anything."

"Of course. We all have our order of priorities." Arc laughed, pressing back when Ursula hit all the harder. Someone was a bit touchy on that subject, huh? Of course, nothing sounded nicer than having someone sharing and warming your bed, which reminded her....Ben was due back in an hour. Arc finally stopped attacking to give some pointers. "You have the force, let's try for some finesse."

With a gentle hand and stern feedback, Ursula was standing like a swordswoman in no time at all. Too bad she didn't fight like one just yet. "Your form is good, better than I thought any newbie would manage in just a few sessions. But you have to keep this form in mind when fighting, uh, except when it's life or death. Please don't worry about it then -- not yet."

"Life and death just means hit until you can run, right?" Ursula laughed quietly, following her instructions. She didn't want to consider being in a situation like that, not yet. "Is force not enough? You hit hard enough, eventually they can't fight back."

That had to be the dragon speaking through her. Their methods were more often that not meant to overpower their opponents in a fight, an old instinct too ingrained to get rid of. Training would rid of that mindset, in due time, and hopefully save Ursula in times where raw force wasn't enough.

"Okay, but what if your opponent can hit harder than you? Then what do you do? Run? Too bad, they can also run faster than you. You have to think outside of the box -- in due time." It was a lesson that had to be drilled into her mind too, and Arc smiled at the knowledge that Ursula struggled with the idea just as much as she had. "For now, we'll focus on keeping you alive until either Benjamin or I can come help -- like yesterday. You...I know it was morbid. But you did good, Ursula."

Ursula grimaced, not quite meeting her eyes as she worked through each drill, quick to correct herself whenever she made a mistake. She didn't want to think of what happened that day, the sticky heat of blood still feeling fresh on her hands, no matter how much she scrubbed at them. Trying to tell herself it was like butchering a pig didn't help much either, but--it wasn't as if she felt sorry for his death. He threatened her, and she reacted. Simple as that.

Ursula took a shuddering breath, saying quietly, "All the same, I hope something like that doesn't come up again..."

"I'll make sure of it. I promise." Arc bit back her regret at being unable to prevent Ursula from causing bloodshed, but -- the past was the past. All she could do was strive for better. She taught Ursula a few moves to disarm a foe just for good measure and called it a night, the end of their hour soon approaching. Arc summoned their practice swords away and was about to join Ursula in the house when she remembered her promise to Benjamin. "Get a good night's rest, Ursula. We'll scout ahead tomorrow to make sure the path is clear." Arc paused and cleared her throat, adding, "Good job today."

Ursula blinked, unused to the praise, before offering up a small smile. "Thank you." She opened the door to duck inside, only stopping to turn with a slightly mischievous twist to that small smile. "Have fun tonight!"

And with that, she was inside, laughing to herself and feeling more than a little happy at how her training was coming along.

Arc took the small jab with a smile, walking back to the stable to wait out Benjamin's return. She didn't have to wait long -- Terror's soft whinny a sure sign of the man's approach. She met Benjamin at the door, smiling as she reached up to kiss his lips, Benjamin an easy 5+ inches on Arc's pitiful height. But there was one small thing to talk about before...

"Before we go and find that patch of clover, Ben, I think you owe me an answer." Arc pulled back and sighed softly, blue eyes hard to read in the dying light. "You're not completely human, are you?"

Benjamin tensed ever so slightly, hard to notice if she wasn't looking for it, before he forced himself to relax. He knew he wasn't quite as subtle with it as he could have been, but most didn't put two and two together. Most he didn't stay around long enough for them to guess. Arc wasn't like most, he reminded himself, as he looked down at her, dark eyes searching for a clue as to how she might react.

There was no weapon held loosely at her side, but that meant little to a woman who could summon at will. He drew a long, slow breath. He owed her nothing, really, there was nothing that stopped him from turning and walking out, to leave her question unanswered and her wondering. But something kept him rooted in the spot, snared by those searching blue eyes.

Finally, softly, hushed so no one but her could hear, he said, "No. Not completely. I am when I wish to be, and when I do not..." He shrugged, his eyes finally looking away from hers. The confession never grew easier, heavy and awkward on his tongue. "The old Northerners call it a bear's soul. Everyone else would know me as a werebear."

"No shit." Arc kept her voice low too, a sign that she was respecting his wish to keep things private. The surprise was evident in her eyes but Arc had long figured out Benjamin wasn't all he seemed. But it wasn't like her to be smug, and the quiet victory of her's steeped the stables in silence. But only for a moment. "A werebear." She said it only to help herself process it, wondering what this meant for Benjamin.

The Iron City was alive with diversity, but werepeople were still rare, born only from parents who angered the gods somehow. They could get away with traveling with little supplies, carrying no weapon, having no horse -- and Ben fit that description a little too well. That, plus the growling. Arc smiled a little bit at the memory, her gaze still on Benjamin's face. "Hey. I just need to know what to expect in bed, is all. Never been with a wereperson before."

"I won't shift halfway or have parts that don't match, if that's what you're worried over." Benjamin said dryly, wondering just what it was she would expect. Hooking his thumbs into his kilt, he added, "If you have no interest, you can just say as much."

However gruffly he said it, he meant it as an easy out. People still feared those like him, holding old superstitions--that a bite could spread it, a disease that could be caught, any of it. Benjamin couldn't say he much liked it, but he knew better to assume.

"Well, by all means teach the ignorant." Arc laughed, stepping closer to plant a kiss on his neck. "Because I've an interest. And it wouldn't do either of us any good if I bumble in this blind, you know? But you damn well know I'd tell you if I didn't have an interest. So don't say that, okay?" Here her tone softened, Arc taking the moment to hook her thumbs into his kilt to draw him close and place a kiss on his lips.

"...So are you going to take me or not?" Was Arc getting whiny? It seemed almost ridiculous to suggest, but she was definitely looking impatient pressed against Benjamin.

"I doubt anyone can just take you." He said dryly, that demanding whine stirring deep in him. He hushed that whine with a deep kiss, his fingers twisting into her hair as his tongue delved into her opened mouth, the taste of her earning her a deep rumble of pleasure. He pulled away, just for a moment, before his beard was scratching gently at her cheek, as he kissed and nibbled against her jaw. "Can you make it to our spot? You look as if you want me to take you here and now."

It wasn't an unappealing thought, but it was more than a bit of a risk. And he rather liked the idea of taking her in that patch of clover he had found, a quiet spot until they would ruin it with whatever noise they made. He ground his hips against her, his want of her clear. "Either we move or it comes to that, Arc..."

"It's tempting..." Arc laughed breathlessly when Benjamin rolled his hips, the sudden introduction to something hard and warm noticeable even with their clothing still between them. She bit back another whine of want, thinking of the house looming all too close, her parents just within ear-shot. Fuck. "...but we can't risk it. Lead the way before I lose myself." It almost came out as an order, stern and in-charge, but again Arc was drowned out by a bubbling groan, a particularly hard bite making her squirm. "Or just take me over your shoulder, fuck it."

Benjamin smirked, simply looping an arm around her waist to lead her away. Something told him if he threw her over his shoulder, her father would be looking out the window at just the wrong moment. No, better to lead her away, as casual as they could get. It was well out of town, a small copse of trees hiding that soft patch he promised her, and once they were out of sight from the main road, he wasted no time. He bit and kissed at her soft lips, deft fingers working at her belt, gently herding her back into the cover of the trees. She was much too clothed for his liking, and he wanted to see her in full.

His voice was rough as he tugged at the waist of her trousers, growling out, "You wear too many layers. I want to see you..."

Arc laughed at his urgency, pushing away his hands to deftly remove her clothes before he tore something. First the pants, kicked off with a grunt, then her shirt, unlaced just enough that Benjamin could see the fullness of her breasts. She then turned to his own clothing, shedding him of his jacket and pausing with her hands on his kilt. Since Arc didn't really know what to do with that, she tugged the big, burly man onto the clover with her for a few more kisses. Her lips parted, taking him deep while her hands traveled up his muscled arms and bare chest appreciatively.

Arc broke their kisses for only a moment, breathing heavily as she asked, "Can I feel?" Her hand had trailed down his chest to the waist of his kilt, uncertain if her touch would be welcome just yet.

"Only if I can as well." He straightened up, long enough to undo the belt holding his kilt in place, an urgency in his movements. The thick hair covering his chest delved deep, a thick trail against tanned and scarred skin, that ended against the base of his cock. The way it was kept trimmed and not an unruly tangle suggested a hint of vanity in the man, a pride in his appearance even for what would be hidden away from most eyes.

His cock suited the size of him--not so massive that it appeared comical, but thick and promising to fill her. Benjamin was already half-hard, the length twitching against his thigh as he eyed her hungrily. She was an awe-worthy sight, red hair fanned out like a cloud, bright against the green clovers. He moved over her, a hand running up from her stomach to one breast, callused fingers tweaking and pinching lightly against the small nub. He wanted her tits in his mouth, to bite and suck, as she bounced on his cock. Benjamin had to force his hand back, taking a deep breath. There was no rush, he reminded himself. They could take their time.

A small, disappointed noise escaped Arc as Benjamin pulled his hand away, the woman obviously enjoying what he was exploring. "Fair's fair." She sighed, leaning back on the grass and taking him with her. She had Ben settle between her legs, his face to her neck as Arc's hand found his cock and gave it an experimental stroke.

"You're warm." She whispered, laughing when his cock throbbed in her hand. Arc kept with the movement, smiling as she said, "All of you, like a furnace. Good for keeping lonely women warm on cold winter nights, yeah?" Silent now, Arc turned her head to kiss Benjamin as she stroked him, thumb pressing against the crown of his cock and smearing what pre-cum was already there. "What're you wanting, Ben?"

"Anything." He murmured, mouthing and biting at her neck. He grunted as she rubbed a thumb against the slit, pre smearing along the ball of her thumb, as he tried not to rut against her hand. Right now, he wasn't feeling picky, just wanting her however she would give herself to him. His hands found her breasts, fingers squeezing and kneading the soft skin, thumbing lightly over the nipples until they pebbled under his touch. The more he played, the harder he grew in her hands, steel wrapped in velvet as it thrusted along her palms. Another bite, harder this time, as he murmured, "Warm enough to keep you when we travel next."

He grunted as her grip tightened around his cock. "Could warm my hands against that ass of yours. You seemed to like that too well."

"Good. Wouldn't want to freeze to death." Arc snorted and leaned up into his hands so that he felt the fullness of her breasts. She captured his lips with her own again, tongue probing as her hands continued to work his cock. Arc took her lower-ground advantage and pushed Ben back on his ass, perching triumphantly in his lap, shirt falling open and showing all she had to offer.

"This enough for you?" Arc asked, soft and smug as she ground back on his erect cock. She moved up and down, a pale imitation of what it would look like if she ever decided to ride Ben, breasts bouncing and his cock slipping against Arc's wet cunt. "Riding you could be fun."

Benjamin grabbed at her hips, forcing her to stop her teasing, a soft groan escaping him. More than fun, it would be amazing, letting her bounce on top, tits pressed against his chest, soft little gasps. His cock ached at the thought, and he allowed one hand to drift below, strong fingers stroking along her wet cunt. Benjamin had to bite back a low growl, the heat pressing down against his fingers. "More than enough. Now stop squirming or we'll get nowhere."

More accurately, he was likely to spend against her stomach. Benjamin grunted softly as he bent, hot mouth latching against her breast, suckling hard against the soft skin, as his fingers stroked along her lower lips, teasing her entrance with a thick finger before circling her clit once, twice, then back to firm strokes. He planned on leaving marks, biting against her skin, worrying it enough to make the peach grow red.

"Oh, Ben..." Arc pressed her hand to his head, trapping him with hopes he would remain. Arc groaned again, this time because Ben's ministrations below were doing a damn wonder. Soaking wet, and warm besides, Arc was ready for the taking and eager for it. Carding her fingers through his thick brown hair, she moaned, this time sounding more than a little desperate.

"Didn't t-think you'd be so s-skilled..." Arc whimpered when his fingers started pumping in and out of her. "Mother take me, I'm.... I'm almost...oh, Ben...." Now her grip was iron on his arm, desperate, overwhelming, as the first wave of pleasure washed over her. She tensed and relaxed, smiling as she slowly opened her blue eyes. "It's been too long, fuck."

"Plenty where that came from." He promised, kissing her for a distraction, his fingers fucking her deeper, scissoring inside her to loosen her. She was slick enough, but having no oil left him wanting to take extra care in getting her ready. He pulled her forward, her chest crushed against his, as he bit and sucked along her neck, two fingers now three, stretching her wide for his cock.

"Think you can take it now?" He murmured, guiding her down so he could thrust along her lips, cock dragging tantalizingly slow against that soaking wet cunt. Mother guide him, the heat that dripped down was intense, his cock twitching with readiness. He wanted to thrust up inside her, slamming his hips against hers to make her scream, a low groan escaping him at the thought. "Fuck, Arcana..."

Arc answered Benjamin with action, sighing softly as she guided him inside. The only problem was that, even with all of Benjamin's preparation, Arc still had to take things slow. She moaned with want as his cock stretched her open, deep enough that she could already feel the first washes of intense pleasure. Breathless, speechless, Arc slowly moved up and down on Benjamin's cock, mouth open slightly agape as she rode. It made Arc glad that she had moonbrew stored away -- they were only beginning and already Arc knew she would want even more of Benjamin.

Arc leaned back just a tad, riding harder as her body started to accommodate Benjamin's girth, breasts bouncing and moans tumbling from her lips.

Fuck, she was tight. His hands grabbed at her hips, fingers digging tightly against the soft skin, his hips rolling roughly against hers once she picked up her pace. Mother help him--she felt amazing around his cock, hot and wet and the sounds they made--little gasps and moans, rough pants as he thrust harder and harder into her, grinding up against her as if trying to go deeper. He yanked her forward, biting against her neck, marking little bruises against her collar bone and tits, and suddenly a crack--his hand striking across her ass, leaving it pink and hot to the touch.

It was a rush of sensations -- some new, some revisited, but damn, Benjamin knew what he was doing. Even before the slap Arc was threatening to boil over, and the sudden jolt of pain was all it took to push her over that edge. Arc came with a loud cry, once. A few pumps later, twice. "Fuckfuckfuck." She was whimpering now with each thrust, unable to stop her embarrassing noises as they bubbled out of her kiss-worn lips. "Ben, oh, fuck!" Determined to silence her needy noises, Arc shakily tried to kiss Ben as he roughly fucked her, succeeding only in giving him a new, even better angle to take her.

Left panting, moaning, with Ben still furiously fucking her, Arc closed her eyes tight as a third orgasm loomed closer.

Benjamin was laughing, the bastard, stealing kisses from her and absolutely smug over it all. He had promised more than one orgasm and had damn well delivered. He shifted her in his lap, tilting her forward until she was cushioned against the soft clover, Benjamin's arms caging her underneath him as he rolled his hips against hers. She looked even better than before, red high in her cheeks, lips well-kissed and parted, her hair bright against the green. He bent forward, capturing her in a kiss as he thrust once, twice--hips stuttered before he felt that tension build, and release with a snap. Spilling inside her, Benjamin panted as he straightened up, slick with sweat and trying to calm himself, his heart racing a mile a minute. He shuddered slightly before grinding up against her, determined for that third orgasm from her, muttering roughly, "Come on--I know you've got that in you. Goddamn gift straight from the Mother, you are, fuck." His fingers found her clit, rubbing lazy circles against the small nub, the other hand running up her chest to rub and tug against her nipple, teasing her further. He watched her, eyes hooded as he said lazily, "I'll get you to scream next time, promise. Take you over a table and fuck you til you see stars. Try for three again, maybe...fuck, if you don't deserve it..."

Arc whimpered in his grasp, his cock still stretching her despite his obvious release. Mother, this man was the treasure, Arc unable to think farther as her back arched with Ben's continued attentions. One hand at her clit, another at her breast, and she was coming with another cry. Ben didn't even have to try that time, Mother take him! With her release, they finally stopped, leaving the both of them sweaty and panting hard on the forest floor.

"Benjamin..." Arc giggled into the crook of his neck. "Wow." With a small sigh, she removed herself from him and laid back on the clovers, a burst of red against deep green. A tiny shift made Arc squeal, cum trickling from her in a way that made her scared to stand. "...been some time for the both of us, it seems..."

"Just a bit." Benjamin groaned as he flopped beside her, eyes closed. Allowing himself a moment, he soon reached for her, tugging her close against his chest, oddly cuddly for a man who snapped so easily at everyone else. He felt loose and easy now, tension gone from his body, and more than content to have a woman in his arms, his fingers trailing circles against her side. "Now we don't have to go without, huh?" He nuzzled against her, looking as if he could fall asleep, never mind that they were bare as babes out in a small copse of trees. A low laugh escaped him. "Should've taken you up on that offer when we met."

"If you tried to throw coins at me after I really would have strangled you." Arc laughed, curling against his chest easily enough. That warmth was too good to pass up on a day like this. "But at least I would have enjoyed myself first." After a moment's deliberation, Arc pushed back her hair and kissed Ben's neck tenderly. "Didn't think I'd get...three...all the same.. "

 

Now Arc seemed shy, keeping herself tucked against Ben as they cuddled in post-sex bliss. Silence washed over them as they started to relax, broken only when Arc asked softly, "So....again, sometime? Maybe?"

"Think I was joking about what I said?" He asked in way of answer, running his fingers through her hair. Bits of clover had caught in that fiery mane, the man chuckling as he combed them out as carefully as he could. "I'm up for it if you are. You just tell me to find another spot of clover and I'll do exactly that." He moved to kiss her, beard scratching at her cheek as he smirked. "And I don't promise what I can't give."

"We might run out of soft clover, farther north." Arc mused with a smile, enjoying the feel of his hands in her hair. That was something she could grow used to -- along with this whole sex thing, honestly. That was something Arc had missed a little too much. Ben filled that spot better than most, hah. "We might have to make do with whatever we find. A bed, for instance. Unless that's too boring for you."

"If you're in it, I suppose I can deal." Benjamin mock-huffed. A bed, a field of clover, a bed roll, wherever. If it meant those soft little moans in his ear again, he was fine. He took a deep breath, trying to push those feelings of sleepiness away. "We'll make do. We're both resourceful."

Arc liked that idea quite a bit, pleased that Ben didn't even hesitate when asked. Good. "You know...you're cute when you're all relaxed like this." She murmured. "If I get to orgasm 3 times and you get cute, then this just might work out." Plucking a clover from his hair, Arc only had one last thing to add. "Promise me a next time?"

"Promise." He murmured, a content rumble coming from deep in his chest as he pulled her close once again. "Definitely a next time."

"Good." Arc lifted his face to her own and kissed him, soft and deep. A thanks, for everything. And for the promise of a future, however short. "Much as I want to, we can't sleep out here. Can you manage to get your kilt back on?" With a snort of laughter, Arc pulled Ben's clothes close and handed them over. She quickly followed suit and pulled on her pants with a sigh.

Laying there now, with only her pants on, Arc looked too tired to move any more. "Still against carrying me? My legs are wobbly and I could use some assistance." The smile on her face said she was teasing, but Arc still looked damn good all the same. "It is your fault, after all."

"I'll take that blame." Benjamin chuckled, belting his kilt in place. It was looking like he'd be doing the walk of shame by his lonesome, as he knelt before her. "Get your shirt on and I'll carry you on my back." He pinched at the thighs that could easily crush a man's head. "Since your legs are just that weak, and all."

"There might be other factors at play. Not that I would know." Arc laughed but did as she was told, struggling into her shirt and lacing it up to a respectable height. With Benjamin's help she situated herself on his back, and the two returned to the Coldiron estate, parting only when they walked in and stomped their boots clear. It was late enough that the two could get away with a few more stolen kisses, trying to muffle their laughter as they finally made their way upstairs. Reminding Ben of his promise, Arc entered her shared room with Ursula and went to sleep.

Though morning came too soon, reminding Arc just how late they had been out. Raising her head, Arc listened for a moment at the sounds of other's waking; Resm doing his morning stretches poorly, the sound of the smith in use, her mother humming in the kitchen. With a yawn, Arc was out of bed and heading for the baths, pausing only when she thought she heard footsteps approaching the house...

There was no mistaking the sound now, boots crunching against the dirt outside, a sharp tap to their door. Upstairs, Benjamin peered out the window curiously, a frown growing on his face. There was no mistaking the colors on the horse that was tethered outside--a high-ranking officer's horse, from the army of the White City.

He grumbled slightly, tugging his boots on to see what was going on. That meant elves, and elves meant trouble.

Her suspicions confirmed, Arc went to answer the door and paused at the sight before her. It may have been best to let some one else answer the door -- as Arc stilled looked a little sexed-up from her adventures the night before. But if anyone was equipped to handle a situation like this...well, it was probably her, at least at the moment. Brushing back her bangs, Arc blinked a few times before what she saw finally registered. "Good....morning, sir. Is there something I can help you with?" Elves? Why was a group of militarized elves out here?

Like Benjamin, the elf towered over her, bowing politely even as his pale blue eyes took in her slightly disheveled appearance. Thin as a rake, handsome in a pale and lithe sort of way, he said, "There is something, yes. You would be the...illustrious Arcana Coldiron, am I right?"

He pulled his glove off, offering a long-fingered hand to her. "My name is Irithmiel--I head the men that patrol this area. There's been a few matters of concern, and...well. Once I heard you were both from these parts and had returned, I hoped to speak with you." He cleared his throat, taking in her appearance once more, and surprisingly, a faint blush touched that pale face, as he tried very pointedly not to look at her generous bust. "Of course, it seems you've just woken up, and I certainly don't wish to interrupt your morning routine. Is there any way we can meet, perhaps later today?"

"If I could be allowed a moment to eat breakfast, that would be appreciated." Arc didn't seem to care about her disheveled appearance, though she certainly caught sight of that slight blush. Moreover, she was trying not to be mad that this stranger had the gall to come calling on her so early in the morning. But what was probably more pressing -- and worth thinking about, though breakfast sounded really good at the moment -- was that they were looking for her, specifically. Yet she knew nothing of them.

All the same, Arc shook his hand in greeting and opened the door just a tad more. Ben would want to know what the elf looked like. "Irithmiel, was it? I'd be willing to meet in the town square in an hour's time...if that works for you, as well."

"Perfectly, thank you." He bowed politely. "I'll be waiting at one of those little cafes, they've been a temptation since I arrived. Good day, Miss Coldiron."

Once more he bowed before walking back to his horse, mounting and departing in no short order. Benjamin leaned against the railing, eyes narrowed as he watched her shut the door, a low growl escaping him. "...don't do it, Arc, I'm telling you. Nothing good comes with mixing with the White City's army."

"I wish I could ignore him, Ben." Arc murmured when the door clicked shut. "But he knows me. He knows where I live. If I don't show, he'll just find me here. Find my family here." Not one to put her family in danger, Arc didn't like the feeling of being helpless -- a feeling she avoided all too skillfully most days. "Why is the White City's army this far North? What could they possibly want here?" Besides the fact that Irithmiel knew her a little too well, Arc had too many questions to remain unanswered. "I'll go. But, I would appreciate it if you kept watch."

With the appointed time, Arc left for the town square, freshly clean and dressed in common clothes that left little to the imagination. If they thought her unarmed and weak, then good, she would prepare lazy ignorance over defensive plotting. Spotting the elf, she raised her hand in greeting and walked to his side. "I see you've made yourself comfortable."

"Hard not to. Your village has been very accommodating." Irithmiel said, gesturing happily to the half-finished meal before him. He settled back in the chair, enjoying the morning's sunshine in the open air cafe, and nodded to the empty chair across from him. "Join me, will you? I can order more drinks. The peach wine is excellent, surprisingly so."

A new bottle was brought out, a fresh glass for Arc, as he poured them both a decent helping. The elf was acting as though this were a simple social call than anything else, but that was the way of the White City--business and pleasure mixed into one. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I sought you out. You're an experienced adventurer, yes? Your guild master couldn't sing your praises high enough when I spoke to him. He said you accepted an escort mission to these parts, and I thought, what luck!"

Arc took a drink from her peach wine and waited, unsurprised when he did not bother to explain. Elves always had to be so mysterious. "I always love to hear how my reputation precedes me. But, please, you met my Guild master? I'm amazed you lived through the encounter." Arc laughed half-heartedly and took another chug.

"So, if I may ask..." Time to bring out the big guns. Arc leaned forward on her forearms and swirled her wine, cleavage at maximum power. "What brings you to the North? I was born here, and even I loathe to return."

That pink twinge came to his cheeks again, the elf doing everything he could not to stare. Mother, she was making it very difficult. An octave higher, he cleared his throat and stammered, "Well, the North is still part of the White City's territories, even with how the Dragon Wars cut away at what used to be ours, as I'm sure you know...I was sent to look into a few rumors, very concerning."

"So I decided to check with those who might've gone to the north of late. Our rangers are all very good, but information can be outdated, and your guild is very good at keeping records." He smiled. "And as I spoke to your guild master, he said you had come North with a contract! One I'm very curious about..."

The smile on Arc's face faltered for a second, immediately knowing who Irimethal spoke of. This was throwing up too many red flags at once and this elf was being too damn vague for her to make a decision on. But if Balkan was comfortable enough sharing this sort of information so loosely...no. Arc would not be so easily won.

"Such a long way for such a simple mission. Was Balkan not able to tell you all you wanted to know?" Arc asked softly, watching the pink tint of his cheeks.

"Oh, he told me enough." He said with an easy smile. Vague and infuriatingly so, but there was no fault with his manners. "Now, I'm not looking to interfere with guild business, you all...mostly work within the laws, and it's not my concern for the most part. But I was hoping you might tell me more about this temple that you're heading to...and the two you're escorting there."

He spread his hands, saying mildly, "If you're comfortable sharing, of course. It's really just a matter of security, the White City protecting its assets, the people who live here...I don't want the men and women under my command going in unprepared, not after what we've heard."

Alright, time to reel in the goods. Arc leaned back in her chair, just the slightest pout on her lips. Fine, she could play this game. "The White City is so large and glorious I can hardly see her people worrying over something so dull as a crumbly ruin out in the middle of the north. I think I know which one you speak of...but there are so many these days, honestly, hidden in the snow. The Temple of Mara, the Temple of Cailleach, oh, and the accompanying Temple of Hiero just a mile west is so very delightful. Have you been? It's a must see, if you're already here."

"Now that temple has it's share of dangers. An official of the White City might do better there, where bandits tend to gather in search of lost gold." Arc took another drink, emotionless for the moment. Damn, this was a losing game.

"While bandits are concerning, they're not quite my target." He sighed. "Miss Coldiron--may I call you Arcana? You're being very cagey. I understand your caution, but I really am not here to cause trouble. Just to stop it." He looked at her, well-meaning and earnest. "I'm trying to follow all the leads I have, and your contract is the biggest so far. You have heard of the rumors in that area, haven't you? Or at the very least seen the refugees--they're very hard to ignore, especially crowding up the Iron City as they are..."

"All I have heard is that there is something brewing in the North. That people are actually fleeing this time is concerning, but what is new? The North is a tough bitch and not all can keep her satisfied." Arc's mouth thinned into a hard frown, wanting to know what Irithmiel was getting at. How was her contract any lead at all? She was escorting two teenagers to an abandoned farm.

"I'm afraid you'll get no more out of me, sir, these two are under my protection and that includes at bit of confidentiality." Arc let her eyes wander over the people of the town, noting a soldier or two hiding in the crowds. Sneaky bastard. "I trust you'll honor that."

Irithmiel sighed as he leaned back in his chair, disappointed with her response. "I see. Well, nevertheless, thank you for meeting with me. Truly an honor to meet such an accomplished woman like yourself."

He picked up his glass of wine, gently swirling the contents. "Would you object if I asked your clients a few questions? Just one or two, to satisfy my own curiosity."

"A shame, really, because I do mind." Arc all but hissed out, blue eyes narrowed with distrust. "Enjoy your time here. Try not to get in trouble. I am accomplished for a reason." That threat hanging in the air, Arc left with one last flounce of her bouncy red hair. Ben would want to hear this.

Once she returned to the house and filled Ben in on the situation, she called for action. "Ursula, Solomon, we're leaving. Now. Pack your things." Guiltily, Arc looked to Resm, sighing. "Resm....you understand." So at least someone would be around to ensure the village stayed safe. Good.

The twins were immediately full of questions, Solomon protesting the sudden decision. "What's going on? You said we would leave when Resm was healed!"

"Do as she says." Benjamin said, sharper than needed, as Solomon shut his mouth and looked down at his boots, ears down. He nudged the young man along to the bedrooms, to help him pack. "We need to move."

"Arc--wait, please." Ursula grabbed her sleeve as Arc passed her, concern in her eyes. "That elf, what did he want?"

"He wanted to know who you were, where you were headed...why he needed a whole army at his beck and call, I don't know. This whole situation makes me feel sick. I don't know what his goal is." Arc took Ursula's hand and squeezed it, hoping that would be enough for now. "If we can get far enough..."

"Honestly, Ben, if you could have stuck around to get some answers for us I'd appreciate it....but I'm just not willing to take the risk. At least if we're outside the village, I could get away with smacking him around." Arc sighed again and turned to her newfound lover. "What do you know of this man?"

Ursula looked ill, suddenly jerking her hand out of Arc's to help her brother pack. Benjamin moved to let her pass, frowning as he watched her, before he said, "Not much. He doesn't have a particularly notable career--mostly does patrol work for the White City, getting rid of bandits and chasing out the odd bear from the area." A private joke, judging by the way his mouth twitched. "Bit odd they chose him to come this way, especially with trouble up in these parts. He's definitely not my first guess..."

He shrugged. "I've got my suspicions though, same as you...this doesn't smell right at all. We'll need to watch our backs on the road, Arc."

"Why even bring an army out here though? The north is cruel, but that's just more mouths to feed and keep from freezing to death." Arc watched Ursula run upstairs, her mouth a thin frown. "You don't think...they're hiding even more from us?" If that was true, Arc was going to walk from this even less trustful of clients. Here she thought they were all friends but...

No. She was assuming the worst. There was time still.

He squeezed her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "We'll find out. Let's just get the bags ready. I'll take care of the horses."

In little time, goodbyes were said, everyone reluctant in leaving Resm behind, but there was still that urgency in the air. Best to get on the open road. Ursula helped her brother into the saddle of his horse, the young man gazing sadly at the lane that led to the bakery, as he said quietly, "...Ursula, I don't want to go."

"...we have to." She murmured, tightening the saddlebags. "This isn't home."

"It could be." His ears drooped. "We could pay Arc and Resm and Ben right now and stay. Forget all of this."

She looked up at him, lips thinning before she turned to her own horse. "I'm not forgetting where we came from."

"Keep your horses moving, you two." Arc called, glancing back only once before leading them forward on the final leg of their journey. It felt too early for this book to fall closed but...Arc swallowed, her eyes downcast. No. There was sure to be more, not necessarily good, either. Only time would tell.

It was only 20 minutes out when they spotted their first snow, the drastic drop in temperature enough of a shock. The horses shook their heads and huddled closer, a mundane attempt to keep warm. "Figures. Snow, already." Arc pulled up her hood and glanced back at the twins. "Watch where you lead the horses. We want to avoid hidden roots."

They both nodded, taking care where they rode their horses on the overgrown path. Benjamin glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if any had followed from behind. Nothing, but that wasn't always a sure bet. "Resm gave us more of a delay than we needed. It's going to snow heavier than this before much longer."

"At least we've got warm clothes for the weather." Ursula said. "And plenty of food. It can't be too much longer to the temple..."

"A week's ride." Benjamin said, glancing her way. "And then you'll be there, if we have no other issues along the way."

"Mother willing." Arc muttered under her breath, wondering if it would do any good to block the path as they continued on. Perhaps, if the opportunity presented itself. Her eyes flicked to a few large boulders that would work well, but would cost a bit of magic to move. Hmm. They'd do in a pinch.

Thankfully there was no need the first day, but Arc still felt the clinging guilt of having to leave Resm behind. They had been together through almost every situation possible, and Arc had a feeling she might need to defer to his advice in the near future. But alas. Arc found her attention drawn to Ben, a small smile on her lips. He was a nice change no matter how she looked at it.

Stirring the pot to life, Arc spooned out the first few bowls of stew and handed them to the twins first. "I think we lost them for the time being. Let's rest for now, like Ben said; this will take a week."

And for the second day there was still no sign of the White City's army -- but something even more troubling replaced it. A strong magic thrum filled the air near the end-point of their second day. Not only was there magic about, but the snow farther north was black with soot and ash. Boot marks were placed here and there, erratic, with trees scrapped up or even cracked in half as if something had forced its way through.

Arc touched one of the broken trees and turned to look at the tracks, stomach twisting when she saw that they were headed north just like them. Next to the tracks were deep grooves in the mud and snow, laid out like something heavy was dragged through the area non-stop. What were they taking with them? "It smells...iron, almost."

"I've never seen anything like this." Benjamin said, baffled as he examined the tracks, kneeling into the mud and snow. They almost reminded him of wagon tracks, but there were no hoofprints, nothing, to suggest it was such a thing. Nor boot prints digging into the ground to suggest it was pulled by a person. He frowned, standing up, as he glanced at the twins. Both were sniffing at the air, eyes slitted and animal-like, as they spoke quietly in that odd language to one another. Just as concerned as him and Arc, he decided, before announcing, "Let's get away from these tracks, we don't need to find out if...whatever made them will return. Let's get the tents up."

No one had an argument with that. Night was falling quickly, and they directed their horses away from the main road, into a few barren trees that would hopefully hide them from view. Until Ursula gagged suddenly, covering her mouth and nose. "God--what is that smell?"

Solomon had done the same, their noses sensitive to whatever was producing the smell. Benjamin unmounted, circling the area until he found a pile of branches and leaves. He grabbed hold and lifted the larger pieces, with immediate regret--a human's corpse laid underneath, bloated and rotting. He resisted the urge to take a deep breath, focusing instead on the strange uniform the man wore. Nothing at all like in Mythos, a grey-green fabric for camouflage, while Mythos' armies tend to go for leather or plate mail. Benjamin glanced up at the tree he had been found in, noting the broken branches along the way, the arrow in the man's throat. He dropped the branches and stepped back, trying to breathe in cool, clean air as soon as possible. "...I'm starting to see that elf's concern. But it looks like someone else around here got the drop on that fellow."

He glanced at Arc and the twins, noting how ill they looked, as he muttered to her, "Go find a place to make camp, away from here. I'll be right behind, I'm just..." He grimaced, not looking forward to the task. "Going to pick through and see what I can find around this place. Might give us some answers."

Arc nodded and did as he suggested with no arguing. The bloated corpse was an odd sight this far, and the fact that it hadn't frozen earlier to death suggested that the kill was old. But it had been hidden as well, leading to only more questions. Arc turned to the twins and took them each by the shoulder, turning them in the opposite direction of the corpse. They settled along one of the nearby streams, the water frozen already from the arriving cold.

Arc cracked open a hole and fished them out some fresh water, ears open to hear Ben approaching whenever he returned. All these signs were making Arc as nervous as the horses, and she saw similar nerves in the twins now. Solomon looked positively miserable -- with a certain dragon the probable -- but Arc couldn't place why Ursula looked so skittish. As she brought the rest of the water over to the campfire to boil, Arc sought to strike up a conversation with them. "This area is looking increasingly dangerous. It might be best if we turn back, should we stumble upon anything worse."

"I'd like that." Solomon confessed quietly, nodding. He didn't quite look at his sister, but at the very least, she was focused more on studying her hands. "I mean--winter's coming, and we can always try again in the spring, the temple and the farm will still be there..." He shifted where he sat, resting his head in his hands. "We could...get jobs, somewhere in the village, save up again to go out there, or something..."

"Or something." Ursula murmured, picking at her claws. She shut her eyes, a lump in her throat. They would never get home if they went back to the village, even she knew that. But that corpse unnerved her--she knew that uniform. They both did. And she didn't want to think of what it meant, what would be waiting for them at the temple. Her voice cracked as she said, "Let's just go when Ben gets back. Better now than later."

"Well...as your employed bodyguard, I have to admit, it won't look good on my record to leave you two undelivered. But settled in the village? That might work out. Solomon's got the right attitude." Arc nodded to the man with a grateful smile, though she knew Ursula wouldn't be so easily won. If only. "Jobs are easy to come by, the locals are friendly...and I'll be around, from time to time. Promise." This sounded a bit too forced, so Arc cut herself off.

They waited in silence for Ben to arrive with news, perking up only when they heard him approaching.

He was carrying a few odds and ends, dropping them immediately to shove his hands into the icy waters. Benjamin scrubbed, cussing under his breath, and said over his shoulders, "Not much in that one's pockets. Whatever he had, I'll have to pick through and see if I can make any sense out of them."

He stood, shaking his hands dry, before picking up a long piece of metal and wood he had been carrying. Both the twins blanched as he swung it their way, trying to see just what it was. "Can't make heads or tails out of this thing." Benjamin flipped it, squinting down the barrel for a moment, and sniffed at it. "Smells like a firework. He was up in that tree before he fell...might've been trying to send up one for spotting? What do you think, Arc?"

"What manner of contraption is this?" Arc was just a mystified as Ben, fingering the barrel as Ben took another hard sniff. "It does smell of something. Powder? The inside is coated with the stuff." Arc revealed a finger coated in gunpowder, the gun long since been fired. With Ben's permission, she took it in her hands and started to play with it, rolling the handle until it snapped open to reveal the bullets placed inside. Arc pulled one from the weapon and squinted down in confusion. "This is a mess. None of my weapons have a bunch of fancy mechanisms like this. Is it a type of alchemy?"

She snapped it closed and pressed on the hammer, jiggling it until her finger pressed the trigger and made the gun fire. They all stood completely still, staring down at the hole in the ground Arc had just accidentally made. "I....shit....what do I do?" She whispered, frozen in fear.

Ursula practically jumped from where she sat on the ground, the bullet hole just a foot or two away from where Solomon sat, and snatched the gun from Arc's hands. She snapped it open, quick to take out any of the remaining bullets from the chambers, and with one solid movement, snapped the gun in two. There was a splash as she dumped it into the hole Arc had made for fishing, followed by a handful of little splashes as the bullets followed suit. She turned, grey eyes slitted and her voice suddenly a few octaves higher as she declared, "We get rid of it and forget that ever happened, that's what you do."

Solomon fell over with a soft whimper, hand clutching at his chest, and let out a faint wheeze of relief. And during all of this, Benjamin had been growling, rising and falling with every movement that had been made with the gun after firing, and only stopping once it was in the river. He shook his head, rubbing at his mouth where he could feel teeth getting too big, claws threatening to emerge when it wasn't wanted. "What the hell even was that?"

"Not a damn toy you aim at your friends, that's what." Ursula muttered, moving to help Solomon off the ground.

Arc's hands were trembling as she watched Ursula dump the gun in the river, almost ready to defend the contraption, whatever it was. How did it have such a kick? How did it make such a precise shot so easy? But she said nothing as the river washed it away, wondering instead why that man had such a thing. Surely it wasn't of it own make -- it looked too perfect, too precise for clumsy human hands. "That's not going to cut it. Not this time. Ursula, you know something, don't you?" Arc didn't want to sound accusatory, but damnit, she always did.

"If you're hiding something from me, again," Fuck, how dare her voice break at a time like this!

"It's a gun!" Ursula suddenly snarled, her voice cracking in her frustration. "A gun from a German soldier, who came from a country that doesn't exist. My country! My home!" She pressed her hands to her face, her breathing growing ragged and harsh. "I don't know how he got here. I don't know how a motor-car got here. Okay? It's not our fault, Solomon closed the door!"

The tension between the group was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Arc's mouth wavered as she struggled to take in this information. Take the knife from cutting the tension and plunge it into Arc's heart, then, that's apparently where it belonged. "German? What the fuck is a German? You? You two?" Even though words were leaving Arcana, it didn't seem like she registered them at all. "What fucking door?"

"It's just--it's not a real door, we just call it a door." Ursula muttered, claws running through her hair. She felt like she couldn't breathe, her heart pounding in her head, and Solomon was no help--he had clammed up entirely, watching the two and looking as panicky as she felt. She honestly wanted to bolt. "It's--a way, from this world to another. A door, a path, a crack--whatever you want to call it, it only opens up at the Mother's temple. Going there was our ticket home and you--you kept telling us to stay, and you fired that gun, and now it's fucking ruined!" Fat tears rolled down her cheeks, her eyes shut tight, Ursula beginning to shake. "Okay? Are you happy now? It wasn't any of your goddamn business, Arc!"

The slap was hard, sudden, unexpected -- but the fury in Arc's eyes was anything but. "It is my goddamn business!" She yelled. There was a tremble in her own body, anger so prominent she couldn't think straight. The mark on Ursula's cheek was already growing darker, blood rushing to that one spot to make the mark heat with shame. Thank the Mother Arc had shed her gauntlets. "You hired me, but you lied, again, and again, and again! You put me in danger, you put Resm in danger, you've put every single person we've met on this journey in senseless danger."

"For what, Ursula? Solomon? So you could sneak to this door, so you could slither away on your bellies leaving us to clean up whatever aftermath there was?" Arc spat on the ground between them in disgust. "I could have helped you, but now? Now you've sealed your own fate. You would have let me die and now you can do the same for all I fucking care." With one last sigh, the woman turned on her heel and started home, grabbing Button as she went. "You coming, Ben?"

"...Yeah. Yeah, I'm coming." Benjamin said, stooping to gather what he had found in the soldier's pockets, and tucked them away into a pouch he wore at his belt. He gave one last look to the twins, Ursula shaking where she stood, Solomon fighting back tears. Both looked more kids than adults in that moment, lost and scared over what being left alone meant. He grabbed Arc by her arm before she could mount Button, his voice low as he said, "Look--I know you're pissed. Got a right to be. But don't tell me someone like yourself ain't gonna feel guilty about leaving them alone out here."

He glanced back at the twins, as Ursula moved to help Solomon up, that stubborn look in her eyes that suggested she was going to plow right on ahead, with or without Arc. "Just take 'em back to the village. Turn 'em loose. You know as well as I do they won't last long by themselves."

"Why should I?" Arc whispered in return, refusing to look at them. "Their lies would have led us to ruin." But damn it all if Ben was being the voice of reason right now. She looked back to the twins and saw what Ben saw -- two kids, scared and suddenly alone in a situation they didn't know how to escape from. And though Arc hated this -- hated everything about it -- she knew she had to be the adult. The adult who slapped them. Shit.

Swallowing down her bile, Arc turned herself back towards Ursula and Solomon and raised her voice. "We're going back to the village and you two are coming whether you like it or not. Get on your horses -- we're going, now."

Ursula opened her mouth, likely to say something that would only make matters worse, before Solomon elbowed her hard in the side. She glared at him, rubbing her ribs, and without much else to say, the two did as she ordered. Benjamin mounted up on Terror, sighing as he tugged at his beard. The ride back to the village was going to be more than a little tense, and if they were all lucky, no one would even breathe a word, lest something worse bubbled over and what little goodwill dried up.

Once they were back on the road, he rode up alongside of Button, Terror huffing softly at his favorite mare, as Benjamin glanced to Arc. "Going to be alright?"

"No." Arc said, eyes trained on the road ahead. "....but thanks for asking. I'm...I'm tired, I'm hurt, and I just want to leave this awful place. The north has brought me nothing good. Nothing but you, it seems." Arc looked fondly at Ben before turning away, anger still too prominent in her to allow anything sappy though. Plus, this was hardly the time or place. "Let's just get them back and see where things go from there." Resm would need to be informed, at the very least. And Arc wanted her pay, damn it.

Still, when night rolled around and everyone set up camp, Arc did not offer to teach Ursula again.

Once dinner was made and dished out, the twins ate their fill, cleaned their dishes, and moved to crawl into the tent that had been built some distance away from what would now be Arc's and Benjamin's. Solomon paused before he entered, looking as though he would try to blurt out an apology, before he bit his lip and crawled inside the tent. Benjamin sighed as he kept himself warm by the fire, and pulled out the bits and pieces he had taken from the soldier. He muttered under his breath as he picked through them--old letters, spotted with blood, a portrait of some girl, bits of dried herbs from the area, maybe tucked away as souvenirs. The letters were impossible to read, in another language entirely, and useless. Worse still, the two best able to translate for him were sulking away in their tent.

He put things to the side for the moment, looking to Arc. "So, will you go back to the Iron City?"

Arc watched Ben fiddle with his findings, wondering if they held any clues about this 'German' soldier and why he was in their land. How could a door of any kind connect two worlds? What insane type of magic does something like that even require? Arc couldn't wrap her head around it. But she knew the twins knew. And damn it all, they weren't likely to tell her now.

Snapped back from her thoughts, Arc blinked a few times before finally focusing on Ben. "I'll be returning, yeah. It's my home after all, even if seeing the family is nice. Have to get Resm home too." Ah, here was the million-dollar question. "Where are you off to next?"

"Wherever I'm sent next." Benjamin said, finally tucking the pieces back in his pouch. Which, if he was being honest, was likely to be around the North. There would be plenty of folks wanting to know just what was going on, and a bear wouldn't be such an uncommon sight out in the icy wilderness, as long as no one started wondering about hibernation. He glanced at her, saying, "But...there'll be times I can stop by. If you'd be liking that."

His offer surprised her, but she appreciated it all the same. Arc smiled, just a touch, and gave a nod in agreement. "I'd like that a lot, Benjamin. Come visit me and I'll show you some Southern hospitality." She reached out and touched his cheek, leaning into the soft kiss that followed. They had too much to worry about at the moment to go searching for another patch of clover, but perhaps later they'd have more time. "Think you could track me down easy?"

"No doubt about it." He said, pulling her close, his warmth a comfort on the cold night. He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Can't say I much want your brand of Southern hospitality. Your last display left my ears ringing." Benjamin rested his head against hers, comfortable even with the sharp chill in the air, the unpleasant taste of magic all around them. He'd have to get used to that if he was sent to prowl around. But for now, he shut it out, focusing on the woman next to him, and squeezed her tight. "Let's douse the fire and get some sleep. Best to get an early start."

"Alright." Arc couldn't argue with that, pressing one last kiss to his neck before separating. The warmth radiating from Ben was too good to pass up tonight, especially with emotions and tension high. Having the ability to just curl up with Ben was going to be something Arc missed, when he left. The fire dead, the kids asleep, Arc and Ben finally slipped into their tent and found some rest.

Morning came and with it an even stronger magic smell in the air, though all else seemed peaceful...for the moment. Arc crawled out of their tent first, rousing the twins and then Ben, the group so close to the village. When they finally entered the village's borders, she was surprised to find them untroubled by Irithmiel or his men.

Resm was working out front with Claire, and both of them stood when they saw who was returning. The heavy awkwardness kept Resm quiet, watching as the twins were ushered inside by Claire. "What happened?" He asked once the door was shut, turning to Arc and Ben.

"A mess." Benjamin said, glancing at Arc. His voice kept low, on the off chance anyone might be near enough to listen in, Benjamin told the whole story--the strange tracks they had found, the twins growing skittish, and the discovery of the corpse. And with that, how the truth had finally forced its way out. "Long story short, the job's off. Arc's not risking anyone just so Ursula and Solomon can fuck around with magic we don't know about." He looked at the door to the house, wondering briefly if either of them were talking, or if they were still keeping silent. He sighed, adding, "And now they're not saying shit. Bad for us...we don't know what magic is going on up by the temple, or who these people are--or why they're here."

He pulled out the letters and showed them to Resm, saying, "A soldier writing home can tell us plenty, but it's all in a language I've never seen. And both of them speak it--we've all heard 'em. I just figured it was...shit, some Dragon dialect or something. But with what happened, I'm guessing they just want to see all of our backs."

"Certainly a language I've never laid eyes on before." Resm murmured, glancing over the lines of text sloppily written. "Verbally, I've heard before -- a thousand years past, so I'm afraid I'm no help there. The witches dabbled in all sorts of arcane and occult things, but another world? I...well. It sounds unbelievable. But if this soldier is as you say...." Resm glanced back to the house and sighed, spotting the twins through the kitchen window, cups of coca in hand. "Allow me a chance."

"A chance at what, Resm? This is beyond us. We have no obligation to do anything now but save our own skins." Arc said. But Resm only shook his head and entered the house, calling to the twins. Though it took a bit of reassuring, Resm managed to get them both upstairs into their bedroom. While they sat on their bed, Resm took a chair by the door, leaning back as well as he could manage with his fractured rib.

"Arc told me what transpired on your journey. What you said, Ursula. And I'm sorry that Arc reacted as she did." Resm laced his fingers together and cleared his throat, willing his tattoos to not glow just yet. "She is ready to abandon you but I am not. I know you two are scared, you are worried about the future, about what you saw in the forest. But I cannot help you if you do not tell me the truth. Let's make this easy for the both of us -- what do you want to do now?"

"I just want people to stop yelling at us." Solomon said quietly, fingers running along the rim of the mug he still held in his hands. He was tired of it, and that it came from someone they had trusted felt all the worse. "I know Arc's mad, but--we couldn't just come right out and tell you guys the whole truth. You would think we were crazy, and you might've refused the contract at all..."

He peeked at Ursula, who rubbed at the bruise blooming across her cheek. She muttered, "What I wanted was to go home. That's all I ever wanted. But it's looking more and more like we can't." It hurt to say that, her heart squeezing at the thought of being stuck in a land that only held more and more bad memories for them. "I don't know what I want now. But if you three are just...leaving us, what we need's more important." She glanced at Solomon, saying quietly, "A job, a home, food. We could probably find something."

He nodded. "...Yeah. I mean, that's what we were going to do for the winter anyway, before...you know. Everything came out."

"I'll be honest with you two -- I wish to stay behind and monitor this out-pour of magic and strangers. I know I am not the only one, but I feel the need is there, all the same." Resm took a deep breath, not sure how the twins would take to this. "If you are willing, I'd like to offer my support. Come live with me for the time being, until you discover what it is you can make for yourself here. Or...well. whatever comes to be."

"There is land available for purchase, or a house would work as well. You mentioned a farm, did you not? It would take some work on all of our parts. It that, too, is quite possible to accomplish." Resm paused and waited for some sort of reaction from the two. "If that is what you wish. You need only tell me if my offer is unwelcome."

Solomon and Ursula looked to each other, hesitating as he made his offer. Neither were sure what to think of it, but--they both knew Arc would want her payment, one way or another. It would leave them with only a few coins to their name, hardly enough to rent even a single bed for a night over at the local inn. It wasn't as though they expected to rely on the hospitality of her parents, after all. Finally, Ursula said quietly, "...We'd appreciate any help at this point. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place as it is, so...thank you, Resm."

Solomon was still curious, asking quietly, "Will Arc get mad about you staying behind?"

"It's a possibility, true. She may grow angry about my decision. But we are friends through and through, so I hardly think it will grow to be an issue." Resm smiled and clapped his hands together in merriment. "This will be the experience of a lifetime!"

"Arc, it does you no good to be so angry." Resm whined not five minutes later, leaning against the stable as she combed Button for the ride ahead. "I would have stayed, twins or no. It is only best to be kind, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you speak of." Arc said, her voice clipped and chilly as the snow outside. "You only abandon me for someone who does not care for your well-being? Hah." Arc took a deep breath and sighed. "Just take care of yourself, Resm. Mother knows I'd hate myself if you got hurt out here." They embraced one last time before Resm left, leaving only Ben and Arc alone.

She turned to him with a sad smile, Button already getting antsy to go. "I guess this is goodbye."

Benjamin sighed, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Come on, don't be like that. It ain't forever and you know it." He tilted her chin up and kissed her, warm and deep. "You can't get rid of me so easily, Arc."

"If that's the case, leave me with something to think of fondly on lonely nights." Finally the woman laughed, the two of them stumbling outside for one last bout of fun. Arc knew she would see Ben again, but she secretly wished he'd travel with her for a bit longer. That night they both had their fun, Ben (as always) making good on his word. They were allowed a few minutes to rest against one another -- Arc's fingers curling in Ben's chest hair, Ben peppering her with lovebites -- and then the magic was broken.

Arc returned to the Iron City fairly easily, Resm and the twins made their mark in Rivertown, and Ben was given his orders. The world went on, despite the remaining mystery of the North.

The farm was doing well, despite still being so fresh into the world, and Resm was surprised by the reward hard work offered. He bulked up a bit during his time at the farm, and grew to know both Ursula and Solomon better, though Solomon was more often than not with his lover at the bakery. Scooping up a runaway chicken, Resm stood straight once more and listened, sure he had heard someone call his name.

Ursula stood along the porch of the farmhouse, raising her hand to get his attention and called his name once more. It was nearing dinner time, judging by what little light was left to work in, and dinner meant it was nearing bedtime. More and more, it was just the two of them sharing meals together as things clearly became serious between her brother and Jericho. Ursula confirmed as much as he crossed the snowy ground, saying, "Solomon went to the bakery tonight." She sighed. "Probably will be staying over too, knowing him. I should bully him into bringing back a cake for all of us to enjoy."

She offered her hands out for the chicken, a black cat winding around her legs as it eyed the bird with interest. "Petal ran off again, did she?"

 

"She's growing bold, this one." Resm laughed as he handed the chicken over, ducking inside to escape the incoming cold. "Perhaps she will be next for dinner?" Petal squaked with the indignity, but Resm was only joking, though his stomach rumbled at the thought of food. He noticed this trend of dinners -- eating alone with Ursula wasn't something he minded too terribly. He liked the woman well enough, and thought perhaps she enjoyed his company just as much.

Not that he didn't think about her in any other way. Sometimes Resm found himself staring a bit long, or thinking of her while doing some mundane task, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. They were living together, of course it was bound to happen. Still...She was so, so terribly young. A woman, yes, but everyone was young compared to Resm'iel. "In all seriousness, what's for dinner?" Resm asked, snapping himself out of his thoughts. "It smells delicious."

 

"Roast lamb." Ursula said promptly once she was inside, Petal deposited safely away in the warm coop. She moved to the open kitchen, ducking under drying herbs and braids of garlic, and pumped some water into the sink to wash her hands quickly. "With sauerkraut and pan-fried dumplings." A sheepish note entered her voice, as she moved to check on the roast in the little oven. "I had some coin tucked away, and I thought it would be nice to splurge for tonight."

Admittedly, she had thought Solomon would join them, but...no, she wasn't going to get fussed that he wanted to spend the day with Jericho. No doubt the dragon would have a treat in store. "It's December. Or--is, where I'm from, I know every place names their months differently here. Solomon and I turn twenty-one." Silly, to explain it to the man in front of her, but even with how things played out, something about the small celebration warmed her--she had her farm, she and her brother were safe, and they had a friend they relied on and cared for, even with knowing him for only a few months. Ursula turned back to the cutting board, sharpening her knifes to prepare the roast, as she added over her shoulder, "So...lamb for dinner. And I've got a maple pie chilling on the table for after."

 

"It's your day of birth?" Resm's tattoos lit up in a bright white light, that detail instantly recorded. "An important day -- and shame, shame, for not giving me time to prepare. I would have bought a gift for the occasion." Resm joined her side at the sink, washing his own hands as they prepared for dinner. His hands dry, he set to putting out the plates and cups, smiling as he said, "Happy birthday, then. Solomon will just have to wait for his own chance to hear that from me. Not that I think he would care."

"No, he's more interested in hearing it from Jericho." She laughed quietly as she pulled the roast out. It was carved quickly, a plate made up for them both, as she set each one in their usual spots. "It's really not a big deal, Resm, I promise. I'm just..." Ursula shrugged before she sat down. "Happy to share it here, with a friend."

She fiddled with her fork and knife, that tired look touching her eyes for a moment, before she brightened. "Not something I thought could happen, just a few months ago. I'm happy to be wrong."

Resm thought of Jericho's way of wishing Solomon a happy birthday and couldn't help but agree. That sort of celebration would certainly be nice. He cut into his slice of roast and relaxed immediately, the smell already promising him a meal worth enjoying. The way Ursula's voice wavered for just a second called to his attention, though, and Resm paused long enough to look up at her and smile. "I'm happy as well. Both you and Solomon have been gracious to me and, well, that's really all I can ask. That we are friends as well only sweetens things."

Resm took a bite from his roast and melted with pure bliss. "Ah, it helps when you both can cook so well!"

Ursula blushed, laughing as she cut into her own food. There were days, especially in the beginning, that she struggled to tell if he meant a compliment out of simple politeness, or meant genuinely. But each one made her smile, ducking her head as she said, "We learned from the best. My father could cook anything you wanted." She rubbed her thumb against the wood of the fork's handle, finding a groove there. For a moment, she was lost in thought, before adding, "You would have liked him, I think. All the stories he told...you could add plenty to that magic of yours."

Resm hesitated here, knowing that Ursula's father had passed away rather suddenly, forcing them to flee to Mythos to live with their grandfather. It seemed rude to touch upon this subject, no matter how much it seemed appropriate. Of all the things Resm remembered, his parents were just fragments of a memory, long since lost even despite his magic. "I'm sure I would have." Resm murmured, turning back to his roast. The rest of the dinner was not spent in silence, though, Resm finally perking up again and asking about the traditions of the various foods they had to feast upon.

Eventually it grew dark, and with the food gone, Resm was content to nurse a glass of wine. It was growing late, and the man was growing weary from the long day, but something kept bugging him about today. It felt...underappreciated, even with everything Ursula had done. He had put the dishes away, cleaned everything, and yet....Resm glanced to Ursula from the corner of his eye and smiled, trying to be sober enough to say, "A toast. To another wonderful year with friends."

The glasses clinked softly, as Ursula gave him a content smile as she turned her gaze back to the fire crackling away merrily. She smirked to herself and downed her glass, adding to his toast, "And may we wake up tomorrow without our heads pounding."

She settled quietly, slouching in her favorite chair by the fireplace. Something inside her wanted to slide out of the chair and just curl up on the floor, letting the heat bask over her, but she resisted. She slouched further, before asking, "Resm...the next time you go check on things, can I come with you? I know you still keep an eye on the magic further up...and it's gotten worse. Hasn't it?"

"...It has." Resm drained the last of his glass and sighed, knowing Ursula meant well. But it still scared him to hear her ask, knowing what might happen if he wasn't paying attention for just a moment. He didn't want to lose her. Mother knew what would happen if Resm let her slip through his fingers. But it was her choice, he stubbornly argued right back. It wasn't his place to say. But....but... Resm sighed. "If you want. Arc taught you a bit of self-defense, didn't she? That would be best, for the situation up there. Every time I go I feel something different has changed, though it is not always easy to see, to tell."

She was examining her claws, fiddling with them as she said slowly, "...she did, a bit. If I go, I can help. Don't take this rudely, Resm, but...you've never gone through the door. So maybe something you miss...I can see a little easier." Her cheeks darkened, embarrassed that she could even suggest she might know more, than the man who had magic tattooed into his skin. "I mean--just a thought. But it's starting to seep down here, you notice? The wind's blowing it down, more and more."

"Whatever is up there, that door is being kept open too long."

"Please, I take no offense. My magic only offers guidance when I know what to look for in the first place. This...door, it is completely foreign to me. I've been studying it for months now and have still found little to nothing." It was frustrating, to say the least. What good were four pairs of eyes if they couldn't find what he wanted? "Your assistance would be appreciated, Ursula."

"In two day's time, we will embark for the door. Would...would your brother care to join us? I know he is not so eager about the door as you are, but he is connected to it as well." Of course, that meant they'd need to get someone to babysit the farm.

"I can persuade him." Ursula said with a nod. Something of an undertaking, but it could be done. "And I'll ask one of the neighbors if they could keep an eye on the farm while we're away." She smiled a bit. "Don't need the chickens thinking they've got the run of the place, right?"

"Certainly not. I don't think Solomon would appreciate us abandoning him, either way." Resm smiled at the thought of the farm turning to chaos with the two of them gone. It was no fair to Solomon, but still a funny thought all the same. However...the trip to the door would be a week-long, and treacherous at that. Again, Resm wished that Arc had remained in the North. He bit back a sigh and stood from his seat to gather their trash and clean up for the night. "We'd best get some rest, then. We will have to make sure our affairs are in order tomorrow."

Ursula softly agreed, getting up to help him. The bottle of wine was stored away for another occasion, the glasses cleaned and put aside. The fire was put out, lamps turned down, the farmhouse now dark as they headed to their rooms. Pushing open the door, Ursula gave him a quick smile. "Thank you for letting me come along. I...can't say what might be up there, but it has to turn out."

She bowed her head quietly. "Good night, Resm."

"Good night, Ursula." Resm went into his own with with only that lingering between them, unsure where the future would lead for them. With the month's passing, it was finally starting to warm again, just the barest of snows on the ground outside. The trek to the door would be fairly forgiving, especially since they would be able to ride horses the entire way up with no fear of frostbite. Still, it would be quite the journey, and Solomon did not take kindly to having the farm thrust upon him and him alone.

When the appointed day came, Resm saddled up and stood at the ready, a routine already known to him. For Ursula, the motion of things might be a little rusty.

There was only some hesitation on her part, but she took his lead, a bag packed and full of what they might need. As they rode out, the dark fading into the distance, Ursula said quietly, "Perhaps it's for the better that Solomon stays behind." She didn't like leaving without her brother along, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. "He never cared much for the traveling we did. And the fights along the way...he's softhearted. He doesn't need to see more."

If there came to be trouble, so to speak. But she couldn't count on things to remain peaceful, not with an army growing at the temple.

All the same, peace would be ideal in these trying times. Resm threw up his hood and sighed, Charming huffing and stomping along the mushy road as they continued on. "I would agree, Ursula. He does not make for a mercenary, or even a freedom fighter. You, on the other hand, would have done well at the Guild. But that is....another topic." And one too close to home, too close to Arc.

"This door, what did it feel like to travel through it?" Such a strange form of magic needed to be cataloged, though Resm was loathe to offer himself as a test subject in any way, shape, or form.

"Fire on your face, ice at your back." Ursula said, very pointedly ignoring the Guild comment. Some grudges would take time to fade away. She took a deep breath, digging deep into that old memory. "You feel--heavy, and it's hard to breathe. But it looks like you're walking in a field of stars. There were other pathways, I remember, leading to other doors."

She looked out over the land, eyes distant. "Each had its own feel, but...it's hard to describe. Solomon didn't want to stay long, and it wasn't a place you could really explore. All I remember was that the door to Mythos smelled of wood fire and snow."

"There were other paths? Meaning this door is not only connected to our two worlds, but possibly others? Absolutely fascinating." Resm looked like he was going to squeal with delight at that revelation, a grin on his face so full of delight it was easy to forget he was some 1000-something relic. This was useful information, no doubt about it, but it still left a bit to be desired. Why did the pathway exist in the first place? How often was it opened? There were too many questions, and no one who held the answers.

"How is it opened? Magic, or something more mundane?" Resm finally asked.

"I think you can only open it with magic. And a certain kind, at that?" Ursula said carefully, not sure herself. She raised her hands, flexing her fingers slightly. "When we first met...you asked if we knew magic. And I said yes, we can open and close anything, with just a touch." Ursula looked away, her hands closing around her horse's reins once more, a bit sheepish. "That's how we even got through. That's how our mother got through in the first place."

"But I don't know much of it." She said quietly. "I think it's only found with dragons...I asked my grandfather about it once. He called it the Mother's mark. A gift to her first children, or something. But I don't follow the Mother, so I just found it...silly at the time. I just wish I understood how the door opened again."

"Then it bears asking; did you close the door behind you when you arrived?" Resm almost laughed at that, a joke in a sense, but felt his heart pounding all the same when he waited for her answer. How long had they been in Mythos? 10, 12 years? Maybe less. And he hoped, oh he prayed, that this was just a mistake, not of coincidence at all. "Though...if you must touch it, then it is a physical thing? That's not what I would have expected."

"Yes!" Ursula actually huffed at him, her ears flicking back, that he would even think they wouldn't have shut the door. "Of course we did. You don't exactly forget something like that."

She sniffed slightly, before settling back down. "It's not really physical, it's...god, I wish I knew more of magic, I don't know the words for it." Ursula ran her fingers through her thick hair, trying to explain, "When we came through, it was at the Mother's temple. Yes? And shutting the door, it left behind an empty archway, behind the altar. When we get there, I'll show you."

"Perhaps actually seeing would allow me a better understanding." Resm agreed with an almost embarrassed smile, turning away before Ursula could see the full extent of it.

They spoke a little more of the experience of the door before dropping it completely, agreed upon that it's just something you have to see to believe. Passing the time was easy enough -- Resm and Ursula were friends first, coworkers second, and knew how to hold a conversation that would last an entire trip. Somehow they made it without incident, the snow surrounding the Mother's temple thinning into dirt just a mile away.

A massive encampment also surrounded the temple, a once grand structure that dominated the frozen land. Ursula's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the army--this was no scouting troop to worry about. It was an invading force, the encampment looking all the world like a town, with as many people there were. Now it was all too obvious why the magic had become as wild as it had--the door kept open, to allow as many units as they could, slowly building the army over the last few months.

They were only lucky they spotted the humans first, instead of the other way around. Ursula dismounted, her legs feeling like jelly. There were her countrymen, and by rights she ought to have been pleased to see and hear them, but it was the wrong place entirely, and instead sent a twinge of fear through her.

Resm dismounted from his horse as well and stared, earrings jingling as he watched in horror. This was no friendly call, no matter how you looked at this, men and women in sharp outfits, caps, equipped with that gun Resm had seen so many months ago. "Holy hell." He whispered, eyes flicking to Ursula. "We need to leave. Now." With a jerk they were gone, the horses pounding down the road with the speed of the winds at their back.

"More soldiers, right at the door!" Resm exclaimed once they were a safe distance away. "An army, armed to the teeth and no one knows but us. Mother save us. What can we do...?" Resm was pacing, nervous, jabbering as he fought to think of a plan.

"Resm--Resm'iel!" She grabbed at his arm, forcing him to stand still. Her voice grew stern, commanding him, "Stop it! You can't just fall to pieces over this. Let's make camp, catch our breath...we'll think of something. Alright?"

There was no arguments to be had with her, as she gently bullied him into helping her pitch their tent, a fire soon crackling away merrily, staving off the cold. Ursula took a deep breath as she stood by the fire, warming her hands and giving him a very pointed look. "Alright. So. Let's not lose our heads, shall we? Have to think clearly. We need to get home as quickly as we can, of course...have to send word, tell anyone we can."

Even sitting beside the fire, Resm looked nervous, glancing back and forth as if scared their smoke would be spotted by the troops from afar. "We have to send word, yes, yes, but I have no communication crystals on me, they all lie at home...! Oh, I am an idiot!" Resm sighed and put his head in his hands, wondering how Ursula was keeping her cool at all. It felt like the world was ending.

"How are you keeping so calm?" Resm finally asked, looking pale with fear. "How?"

"Someone has to be." Ursula said gently, moving to sit by him. Her mind was racing, despite her steady manner, a shiver running through her. She tightened her jacket, arms tight against her chest, and kept her gaze to the fire. How she wished she were back home, with logs to chop in two to keep her mind and hands busy, instead of out in the wilderness, an army behind them. Ursula took a deep breath, her voice quiet as she said, "We need sleep, and an early start on the morning. As soon as we get home, you can tell everyone who needs to know about what we saw. There's not much we can do right here, but hurry home."

"The royals are family by blood -- long diluted, but, still, related, I suppose -- they might listen to me. Do what they can to prepare." Resm worried his lower lip and glanced towards the fire as well, his green eyes trained on flickering flames. A sudden 'crack!' from the fire woke him from his brooding and launched the man into action -- not that that did much good at the moment. He busied himself with their tents instead, muttering to himself as he put them up. First Ursula's, then his own.

"Hurry home....it seems so weak, so minimal. But I suppose that's the best we can offer at the moment." Resm said, looking to Ursula for only a moment. He motioned to her tent, now standing ready. "I'll take first watch. Sleep."

Ursula looked ready to object, perhaps to suggest she took first watch instead, but she sighed and nodded. "Alright. Just wake me up when it's my turn, Resm, I don't want to find out you kept watch the entire night."

She ducked inside her tent, quiet rustles inside that eventually stopped once she was comfortable, and left him to the night's watch. All was quiet, but in the dark, it was easy to spot the glow from the army's fires, burning bright in the darkness. As the hours passed, it soon came time to wake Ursula up for her turn at watch, the young woman bound to scold him gently in the morning if he didn't.

Resm shifted in his seat, ass aching after sitting in one place for so long. Their fire had long since died out, leaving Resm shivering in the incoming cold. The elf didn't even bother to move for a blanket since the cold was the only thing keeping him awake -- away from nightmares. But it was Ursula's turn for the night watch, loathe to bother the young woman. They both needed sleep, but Resm could go a few more hours.

Still, he stood to check on the woman, surprised to find her tent empty. Panic instantly washed through him, very awake as he frantically glanced around for her. Resm considered yelling for Ursula, but the close proximity of the soldiers were too much of a threat. No. But where was Ursula???

There was no answer from the silent night. All too silent, and stranger still, with no hint of the magic that had seeped from the door and into the surrounding land, disappearing without a trace. The air was still, no breeze felt whatsoever, an oddity in the North, where winds blew freely. The horses were steadily growing nervous, hooves clamping against the frozen mud, tossing their manes as their eyes grew wild--and everything went white.

It was sheer force, knocking everything to the ground, blanketing the world in silence as a wave of magic pulsed, straight from the camp and radiating outwards, bathing the night in painfully bright light. Sound rushed back, a loud roar that sent cracks through the earth itself, overshadowing the horses' panicked screams as they went wild, trying to get back to their feet and bolt for safety. And there was Ursula--boots pounded against the frozen mud, stumbling and forcing herself to keep running. Her lungs were burning, and she ached, oh, how she ached, her head wanting to break into a thousand pieces. Her hands were thrumming, muscles jumping with the magic that had flown through her in so little time ago, and all she wanted to do was collapse.

Instead, she skid to a stop, grabbing Resm by the back of his collar to haul him back to his feet, and said sharply, "We have to go. Now!"

The pulse of light was blinding, and the smell of magic so overpowering Resm thought for sure he would be sick. But before he even had a chance to recover, a chance to understand what was going on, Ursula was grabbing his collar and forcing him to his feet to follow after her. The horses were panicked but calmed enough to be mounted, both Ursula and Resm leaving their belongings to the wilderness. Fear gripped them both as they rode off, away from the door.

It was only after an hour that Resm called for them to slow the horses to a walk, the poor beasts' sides heaving with the effort it took to run so far so quickly. "What the hell was that?" Resm asked, quietly, his anger and fear masked by uncertainty. "The magic from the door is...it's gone. For now."

Ursula didn't respond at first, instead working to clean the dried blood from her mouth and nose, still feeling as though she had an electric current running through her. She had forgotten how it felt, the way it made her heart stutter and stomach seize up, and she didn't care for it at all. Finally, she mumbled against her sleeve, "I closed the door. Unless they've got someone in that camp that can undo what I did, they're stuck here. Most of the magic went back to where it belongs." She swayed on the saddle, swallowing hard as she lifted a hand, the veins visibly thrumming with a softer version of the white light from earlier. "Had to...had to pass it through me to lock the door."

"Shit." Resm pulled Champion closer and made Ursula remove her sleeve from her nose, checking the source of the blood before attempting a bit of healing magic. It was like a flaming candle being introduced to a roaring pyre. Resm fell straight off Champion and onto the road below, wheezing as he felt magic forcing itself through his body, curling and easing itself into places he thought untouchable. With a gasp he grew still, eyes shut tight until the magic finally died, too far from the source to do anything for long.

Resm slowly sat up with a wheeze, his tattoos flickering white and black as his body fought to understand what just happened. He looked up just in time to realize his nose was now bleeding, too. "Fuck, that is some incredible magic."

Ursula had stopped Champion and her horse, sliding off the saddle unsteadily as she went to help him up. That she was even able to move--or run as she had earlier--was a feat, forcing her body to keep steady as the magic twisted and pushed throughout it. She yanked out a rag from the saddlebag and passed it over to him, waiting until he felt ready to stand up. "Hurts like hell, more like." She leaned against her horse, holding against the saddle's pommel as she drew a shaky breath. "It wasn't--so bad before. Too much of it built up, and last time, it split. Between the two of us."

She tried to straighten, saying, "Are you alright?"

"Are you?" Resm asked, his hysteria leading into unsteady laughter. Taking the cloth, Resm pressed it to his bleeding nose and followed her lead by shakily standing and holding onto the horses. "I just tried to pass a bit of magic through you and what's already there violently rejected me." What incredible magic, Mother take him. "How did that army even open up such ancient...untested..."

Resm shook his head, feeling too nauseated to try thinking anymore. "Did they see you? Can we risk resting, for at least an hour? You and I are both trembling where we stand."

Ursula could only shake her head, unsure if anyone saw her or not. "I-I can't say. If they did, they're in no position now to go chasing after us. The aftershock..." She waved a vague hand. It had flattened tents, men forced to the ground and unable to move until the magic dissipated, and in the confusion she had managed to run the moment she was able to get to her feet. An hour's rest sounded like heaven in that moment, however. "...Let's find somewhere off the road, at least. I don't want to be spotted."

It took some effort from them both, but they soon found an outcropping of rocks that would hide them from view, allowing them some time to rest. Ursula sat heavily, rubbing against the soft light that shone through her skin, her eyes closed. It was fainter than before, and she hoped it would die off, disconnected from its source, but...she knew little of magic. The best she hoped for was that it didn't change anything of her. She drew a deep breath, murmuring, "Still a few days' ride. Do you think the village saw the light as well?"

 

"I imagine all of Mythos saw that light. But only we know of what truly happened." Resm breathed out slow and shaky, eyes closed as he fought to catch his breath. The royals would have to listen to him or die. "For you to close that door....astounding. But how did they open it in the first place? I hope it is as you said -- that they are trapped here, with no reinforcements able to reach them." The horses, still fearful from before, crowded next to each other and huffed and heaved.

"I will return to the Iron City, inform the Kurianes...or try. What will you do? So close to the army, I can't imagine it will be safe here for long." Resm turned to Ursula and ran a hand through his dishelveled locks. "Ursula?"

"...I can't just leave the farm." She said, pain in her eyes. There wasn't anywhere for her to go. Or Solomon, for that matter, unless Jericho had family somewhere safe. And she couldn't just follow them, not with what they were building together. "There's no guarantee that they'd march that way, I can hold out at the farm, or...something."

She didn't want to think of what might happen if she was wrong. Tucking her legs against her chest, she closed her eyes. "I don't know how they opened it. Magic, obviously, but...it doesn't matter now, does it? You just need to get to the Iron City. I just...I just hope they'll listen to you. They have to."

"You closing the door does us no good if they can just open it again by some other means." Resm sighed, feeling like the rational one all a sudden. Which, considering how he was laughing with hysteria only a few minutes ago, had to be some sort of improvement. "And you know that Rivertown is directly north of the rest of Mythos. There's...there's no other direction they could possibly go. Stay with the farm, yes, but...know when it is time to go, as well." Resm bit his lip and reached out, slowly touching her shoulder. "Ursula."

Here was the moment. The deciding factor. "I don't want to leave you, but in this case I must. You are free to come with me, to the Iron City. It will be safer there. At least for the time being." Hesitation. "You will always have me to turn to, should you wish it."

Her arms tightened around her body, as Ursula nodded, having to squeeze back the tears that threatened to spill. She knew he was right--she didn't want him to be, but there was no denying it. There was no telling what would happen if she stayed behind, and no land was worth dying over. It didn't make it hurt any less.

"I'll go." She whispered. "I'd have to leave sooner or later, right?"

"I'm sorry." There was nothing more Resm could say, and the awkward silence felt like an ocean at that moment. After a few more minutes of rest the two saddled up and headed for home, ever aware of the army that loomed behind them, unknown and lethal. Upon arrival home, Resm and Ursula quietly gathered their things in preparation for their move. Much to their relief, Jericho and Solomon agreed to join them, and the four set off for the Iron City. Resm took a letter from Arc's parents with him, disquieted by their calm acceptance.

The Iron City was crammed with refugees, the streets awash with people desperate for something better. A few managed to make something of their time in the great city, but more often than not they were met with roadblock after roadblock. The city was growing full. No one understood why -- not truly. Not until now. Resm found them a small two-bed apartment to stay at for the time being, his urgent business making him forgetful of Arcana and Benjamin. They were left alone, for now.

Jericho and Solomon saw the conditions of the city, and quietly announced they were heading further on. The South was more friendly to dragons anyway, and far safer. It was a tearful goodbye when they left soon after, the twins almost inconsolable when they parted ways.

It took some time to arrange a meeting with the Kurianes, even with Resm's status by blood. When the day came, Ursula paced anxiously in the small apartment, sure that she would wear a hole in the wood floor. She couldn't guess how long it would take for a meeting, just to warn them, but she knew little of royalty and how they operated. Resm had been gone all day, however, and she wanted to know how it went. She chewed on her claws, glancing out the tiny window where the sun's light steadily disappeared. "I hope they at least feed him..."

Even with Resm's status by blood, the audience with the royal family was a disaster -- as was obvious by the look on Resm's face when he finally made it home. As quietly as possible, he opened the door and entered, staring at the inside of the dingy apartment with a look of sheer horror. He hadn't expected to see Ursula up, and that almost pushed him to the breaking point then and there. "They didn't believe me." Resm put his face in his hand and took a shaky breath. "They chalked it up to -- to insanity from my ancient age, from the curse's lingering effect. Oh, Ursula, they thought I was mad."

"What?! But--didn't they see the light?" She asked desperately. "And the refugees, they've been coming here for months!" Ursula ran her claws through her hair with a soft groan. "I should have gone with you, I mean, two witnesses wouldn't be ignored, would they?"

Ursula sighed, dropping her hands as she looked to Resm sadly. "...is there anyone else we can tell? The guild, maybe...?"

"Well...there was someone...unexpected at the castle." Resm knew Ursula wouldn't like this news, so he just spat it out. "Arc. To be exact. She's improved her status quite a bit over the last few months by becoming the weaponsmaster at the castle. Her position wouldn't allow us another audience in the castle, but she does have access to the gossip. She told me the light reached even the Iron City -- but no one thought anything of it -- and least those without magic."

Resm wrung his hands and swallowed, hard. "Those like the royal family."

Ursula tried to hide her sour look at the mention of Arcana, without much success. "So, in other words, no one's going to bother believing you until the army is at the front gates." She sighed, rubbing her face as she turned to the small kitchen. "Did you pass that letter on to her when you saw her? Or--well, not like you expected to see her there, I suppose."

 

"No, I -- we made plans to meet again, tomorrow. For brunch. You should join us, Ursula." Resm knew immediately she would say no, but it felt worth trying. The woman had such potential to be friends, despite the circumstances of the past. "Please, Ursula. It would do a bit of good to band together in these dark times. I can tell you, Arc regrets how things ended. Especially when she heard what we discovered."

Ursula opened her mouth to immediately say no, as expected, but as he went on, she looked to the floor, feeling a bit chastised. It would be the mature thing to do, to put old grudges aside in such troubled times. She sighed finally and said quietly, "Oh, alright, fine...if just to get out of the apartment. I feel cooped up in this place." Not for the last time, did she miss the farm, a wave of homesickness washing over her. She sighed, turning back to the small kitchen as she muttered, "For now, let's focus on the food you need now, I doubt they fed you at all."

"You would be tragically correct." Resm muttered, looking somewhat relieved to have all that off his chest and in the open. He would have to construct some new kind of plan, one the royal family believed, or they would continue to simply laugh him off. It was a troubling thought, but Resm could hardly ignore the truth of it. "Thank you, Ursula." With that they settled in for the rest of the night, brainstorming and relaxing in the comfort of one another.

Brunch....brunch was tense. The restaurant was busy, and Arc had already been waiting a good 10 minutes when Resm and Ursula finally arrived. She stood from her seat when they walked inside, blue eyes filled with emotions hard to place. But she looked happy to see them all the same. Still, Ursula did not get the hug Resm did. Instead, Arc awkwardly squeezed her shoulder and sat back down, clearing her throat as the two took their seats across from her.

"Ursula. Resm. It's good to see you both." Arc didn't change much over the months, really, though she was almost a different person when placed in anything but her heavy armor. "It's...you've grown a bit, Ursula. It's good to see a bit more confidence in you."

Ursula bit her tongue, simply folding her hands against her lap. Arc wasn't so unkind to make backhanded compliments, she knew that. "...thank you." She spoke carefully, not quite looking Arc in the eye. "Running the farm with Resm has helped. And you're...doing well? Resm told me last night of your new position. It's...really quite something, congratulations. You must enjoy your work."

The small talk was definitely the most awkward, playing nice after such a rough goodbye. Ursula tried again, asking, "How are you and Ben? Resm didn't say."

"I don't know where Ben is, so you tell me." Arc gave an easy-going shrug at that, no hard-feelings. "He told me he was sticking to the North like you two, so I thought..." Resm gave a small shake of his head, making Arc pause with thought. So Resm didn't know either. "Let's just say things are hazy." After ordering their drinks, another awkward silence fell over them, broken only when Resm gave a small, exasperated sigh.

"So." Arc grabbed at her newfound drink with a vengeance, the glass close to cracking. "I think it's only fair I apologize for how I left things. You and Solomon certainly weren't in a position to be left alone like that and I...I'm sorry." Her gaze still strong on Ursula, Arc took in a deep breath and finally closed her eyes. "It wasn't professional and it sure as hell wasn't kind, either."  
"No, it wasn't." Ursula said bluntly, finally looking her in the eye. But she spoke without anger, just matter-of-factly. She drummed her claws against the wood of the table, before saying, "It was harsh, and hurtful, but...so was my lying." She looked down. "I put you and Resm and Ben at risk by refusing to let you know everything, when you were only trying to help me and my brother."

She sighed, the hardest part the last. "I'm sorry. I thought I had my reasons, but...looking back now, it was stupid. You gave me no reason to not trust you."

 

"Then can we make amends?" Arc asked, her eyes back on Ursula. The woman slowly smiled, unsure her offer would be welcome, much less accepted. "I'll not abandon you again as long as you promise to be honest. And if you do lie, well, I'll try to be understanding." Arc's smile grew, a laugh bubbling up as she added, "Might make you buy me a drink, though."

"I've seen how you drink. As long as I'm not picking up your tab after a night's fun, then we have a deal." Ursula said with a small smile, ears perking at the offer. Friends were needed in these times, and before everything happened, she really did enjoy Arc's company. She laughed quietly. "I'll try not to lie too much, I promise."

With that settled between them, it seemed like the whole rest of brunch would go smoothly, no problem. Arc called over the waitress so they could order, her attention drawn to the fact at how close Ursula and Resm seemed to be. Made sense, they were living together and all. Only time would tell if that developed into something more. "Resm told me why you moved here. That the royals are ignoring your warnings, too. But they're ignoring everyone, even their own council, though to be fair the council is a joke all the rest of the time."

Arc bit into a slice of buttered bread and continued, saying, "I don't know what you want to do, Resm, but it's going to take more than word of mouth. I think what we need is something from the army -- like that gun. Physical evidence is hard to disprove." Only problem was how to get a gun! Ben would have been perfect for this situation.

"Physical evidence will come soon enough." Ursula said morosely. She had no idea how long it would take for the army to find its feet again, but she imagined it wouldn't be too much longer. "Makes me wish I thought to grab something when I shut the door..."

"You would have hardly foreseen this situation." Resm rushed to Ursula's defense, calming when Arc gave him an odd look. The elf cleared his throat, saying, "What I meant was, there is nothing we can currently do. If we were to return to the North on the off-chance we discover another gun..."

"...the army would no doubt be headed towards us anyway. News would be spreading like wildfire. Even the royals can't ignore that." Arc finished for Resm, cursing internally again that he hadn't been with them near the door. Had he been able to look at the gun, they might have been able to recreate it, pass it off as evidence of coming trouble. Shit. "The best thing I can do is make sure the army is stocked and prepped, for there will soon be a need for them."

"For us then? The royal family has barred me from the palace." It was difficult to say what the best course of action was for Resm and Ursula. "What do you think, Ursula? How can we best spend our time now?"

Ursula looked up from her tea, surprised he was even asking. She hesitated before offering, "...I'm not much for grand plans. But...if it were up to me? I'd write to people who might be able to help, however little. You both have acted as adventurers for some time, I just bet you two have scads of friends in all sorts of places who might be able to prepare and warn others...it's not usually the royals who get hurt the hardest in a war, it's..." She swallowed, her grip tightening on her cup. "It's the little people. People who have to suddenly pack up and leave, not knowing why or what's going on."

She looked down, still thinking of that farm that was likely being picked clean. "Warning people of what's coming will get people out of danger, or better--convince them to form militias, protect their assets. And there's never a better force than an enemy that can blend back into the crowd."

"But that's just me." She said quietly. "Once we go home, I'm planning on writing my grandfather. The Southern lands is going to be very full soon and he knows wars...survived enough of them, anyway. That way I know there's someone who's ready for whatever comes, and maybe that's a few more lives kept safe."

"Ursula's right -- if the royal family is going to be useless to us, we need to take things into our own hands." Arc murmured, glad Resm had asked Ursula for her opinion. Her words were full of a wisdom that deserved credit and recognition. "I'll do my part in the castle. Resm, what you need to do is gather our old contacts. You know the ones. Send them letters, tell them what's coming, ask for a bit of assistance. We'll take all we can get."

Resm gave a small nod and swallowed, hard. War was a new concept to him, despite his ancient age. If this is what things came to...was he really the one to depend upon? But, no, he wouldn't be alone, he had to remember that. "That, I can do. With our joined efforts, surely..."

"If anything we can rest with the fact that we're not sitting on our asses." Ursula said, a bit blunt. She finished her tea before pushing the cup away. "Until then...it just feels like a waiting game. I think in the meantime I'm going to look for work. Plenty of places need cooks or servants. Can't just sit in the apartment and wait around for things to happen."

"A good idea. I'll search for work as well. Surely Balkan has local jobs I can take. And if I hear information while I'm out and about, all the better, no?" Resm sighed and glanced to the two women at the table, his spirits finally feeling lifted after such a long period of fear. "Thank you, both of you. Mother willing, our attempts will not be in vain." The conversation between the three of them dipped into lighter topics, but they all felt so filled with determination that it felt wrong to spend anymore time chatting at the cafe. They ate their food, paid the bill, and were off.

When Arc arrived at her apartment, she noticed two things; one, that the floor underneath her single window looked scuffed. Two, that there was a faint, if unhurried, breathing coming from her bedroom. With no hesitation, Arc drew the knife at her thigh and rushed into her bedroom to find the intruder.

"Woah, hey!" There was a panicked scramble, a strong pair of hands grabbing her by the wrists to disarm her, the dagger clattering uselessly to the side. Benjamin was quick to avoid punches and kicks, saying desperately, "Arc--Arc, it's me, Ben--fuck!"

He swore, pulling away to grip at his shin, not watching her close enough. "Mother damn it all, would you stop?!"

"Ben!?" Arc immediately stopped resisting, the urge to smash the intruder's nose in gone once she remembered who that voice belonged to. With an exasperated sigh she grabbed up the dagger and put it back in its holster on her thigh, looking up at the man before her. Even in the dark, she could tell it was him, that height and bulk hard to place on anyone else in Mythos. "Ben, are you looking to die? Who just sneaks into an apartment with the candles out and expects things to go well?"

Good thing Arc didn't stab him, or things would have quickly gone sour. But fuck, if she missed Ben. And finding him here, all of a sudden, was a treat but brought along a lot of questions as well. "You okay? I didn't break anything, did I?"

"No, thank the Mother." He grunted, plopping his ass into the nearest chair. The hopes of surprising her had gone horribly, awfully awry, and now he was wondering just what he was even thinking. That's what he got for falling for a woman like Arc. Benjamin sighed as he looked up at her. "I'm fine, now stop fussing, will you? Just...lemme get a good look at you."

He stood again, hands going to her waist. Beautiful as ever, fierce as he knew her to be. The last few months felt too long to be apart, and he couldn't help but kiss her. "Missed you, you massive pain in the ass..."

Arc couldn't help but smile at that, her hands resting on his shoulders as Ben pressed closer. She answered his kiss with one of her own, long and deep, to make up for a lonely few months. "And here I thought you were never going to visit again." Arc kissed Ben again, stopping only when she remembered how he had entered her apartment. Right, that's what he was good at. And before she lost herself to the heat of the moment...

"Actually, this is...incredibly good timing. Resm and Ursula are here. And now you are too -- for some reason other than seeing me, I'm guessing." Arc saw his hesitation and shook her head. "They already told me about the army up North, Ben."

"I wish I was just back for you." Benjamin admitted. But his work had led him back to the city, passing on information to those that needed to hear it. "I heard that Resm met with the royals...it didn't go quite so well for him." Worrying, but not hopeless. "There's still a way to deal with it, at least. They may not like it but the royal family isn't the only one who can handle this."

He sighed, brushing back her hair. "...I can't say I want to talk much of work, Arc."

“You must think a lot of yourself to crawl into my home like this.” Arc answered, her voice dry. "I don't think you want to talk of much of anything. Well, give me a minute. I just got home, after all." Leaving Ben where he stood, Arc walked back into the entryway, taking off her boots and leaving her keys on the desk near the door. Walking back into the apartment, she grabbed a match and started to light a few candles, illuminating a very chilling trend -- there were weapons literally everywhere.

“I missed you.” A kiss was all he received before she pulled away, looking drained and ready for sleep. "But Ben, now really isn’t the time."

It took a moment for him to connect back with her, distracted by the amount of cutlery on the walls. "I just want to be near ya. Will you have me for the night?" He bit at her lip, and in a quick movement, his arms hooked under her legs to carry her bridal-style to the bed. Romantic, in its way, until he gracelessly fell into the bed, with her in his arms, and promptly rolled so that she was trapped under him.

“Just for sleep.” Arc murmured, comforted by the heavy weight against her. She briefly heard Benjamin chuckle fondly, with a light brush of his lips against her forehead.

“Get some sleep, Arc. I’ll be here in the morning.”

As dawn came, sunlight filtered into the room, over tangled legs and blankets, the burly man curled around Arcana, one arm holding her tight to his chest. He grumbled as the light finally hit him in the face, moving to bury it against that thick head of hair. A mistake, once he realized he needed air to breathe. With a quiet swear, he sat up, blinking dully in the morning light, his stomach soon set to rumbling.

Arc wouldn't mind if he grabbed something to eat, he was sure. Slipping out of the bed, kilt hoisted up over his hips, he walked to the door as he muttered, "Coffee...that'll be exactly what we need..."

Arc didn't stir for another 5 or so minutes, noticing Benjamin's absence only when the heat started to seep from the bed. Rolling into Benjamin's leftover indentation, Arc took what little warmth there was left until she simply couldn't handle it any longer. What blankets there were had been kicked or flung off the bed in their chaotic sleeping, leaving Arc absolutely no other choice but to seek out the source himself. It took her a minute, but Arc finally rose from bed and made her way into the kitchen.

Arc kept her early-morning grumbles to herself and quickly pressed herself against what bare skin she could find. "Morning..." Her voice still held a tint of grumble, but it was easily muffled against Ben's back. Though her voice was sour her touch was still playful, arms wrapping around his waist and thumbs hooking under the waist of his kilt.

But alas, not all good things were meant to be. Arc finally peeled herself from Ben to show him where the coffee beans were kept, if only so she could have some morning brew too. While thinking on it, Arc made Ben add a bit of Moonsbrew into the pot to keep them from having even more to worry about. "Cheers." Arc tapped her glass against Benjamin's and took a small sip -- ah, perfect. "You've always been the first one up, haven't you?"

"Force of habit." Benjamin said, sipping at his drink. He made a face at the altered taste of the brew, swigging it down in a single gulp. "When we were traveling, it was making sure things were getting a move on before too long, and when it was just me...no point in lazing around."

He shrugged, pouring himself another cup. "Kinda nice waking up like this though." A sleep-roughened laugh escaped him, his mouth twitching up in a slight smile. "I could use without waking up with a mouthful of your hair, of course. I don't understand how you don't strangle yourself in your sleep..."

The laugh bubbling from Ben was so startling Arc thought she might drop her cup then and there. Fuck, had he always been capable of laughing? She drained the last of her coffee and winced, too, at the aftertaste the Moonbrew left behind. Still better than morning sickness, anyday. Those who had the pleasure of spending the night at Arc's apartment / bedroll never really complained either. And most liked the hair until it started getting in the way of things, as if it were sentient and made that choice deliberately.

"You only have to deal with it once a year, I hardly see why you're complaining." Arc replaced her second cup of coffee with a glass of water instead, frowning at Ben from where she leaned against the water pump. "Don't give me that look. After what happened to the twins, I just figured...this was a one time thing. Am I wrong?" Of course she wasn't. Work would pull him away, or anything else under the sun. Arc didn't mind being a shelter in the storm to return to, so long as Ben didn't put on airs that it was anything more.

Not that she wouldn't...mind becoming....something more. Arc wrapped her arm around her and waited for Benjamin's response, knowing she wouldn't like the answer either way. Who could hope for romance in this day and age?

"Doesn't have to be." Benjamin said, his dark eyes on the bright blue of hers. With everything that was happening, the army fast approaching, the royal family refusing to get their heads out of their asses, he wanted to hold onto something good for once in his life. He knew he made it sound simple, almost flippant, but if she took him up on it, it couldn't hurt to see where things went. "You want it to be a one time thing? Fine. But...don't tell me you weren't happy to see me."

He shrugged. "What's it hurt to try?"

"Aside from finding out you had broken into my apartment to greet me in the dead of night," Here Arc's lips twitched up in a smile, "I was happy to see you. But a wild bear of a man, like you, settling into something as domestic as a relationship? I'm sorry, Benjamin, I don't see it." One could hardly blame Arcana for her hesitation -- after the twins, Benjamin had promised to keep in touch. And what did she get? Months of silence, broken only when he returned for a bed to crash in. It wasn't exactly....romantic. Or hopeful, for that matter.

Arc very slowly brought her gaze back up to meet Ben's, her smile gone. On the road she was much more stern -- as rare as it had been to hear Ben laugh, it was rare too for Arc to fall into a fit of giggles, like she had last night when Ben threw her into bed. Feeling that happy, that excited, had made Arc forget almost entirely about the cruel world outside. She sighed and shook her head, smile slowly returning. Ben would never know the power he held over her, damn him. "But I can't yet claim who you are or aren't. I don't know you all that well...And there's really only one way to fix that." Benjamin had won the battle -- for now.

Reaching out with her now empty up, Arc tapped it against his bosom and rested it there. "I want to see you more than once every year. That, or you fuck me enough to make up for it."

Benjamin was quiet as he considered her words. She had a point, in her own way. He wasn't looking to settle, not just yet. But trying something, sowing a few seeds, in the sense of growing something between them...maybe he was just getting older, tired from moving place to place, but it had its appeal. And he hadn't been lying of how it was good to wake up beside a warm body, someone to draw close to in the chill of the morning, to greet with coffee and grumbling. He glanced at the cup resting against his chest, fingers hooking into the rim to lower it. "Somehow, I'm getting the idea it's a bit of a win-win, either way..."

"Can't say when I can see you. But...it won't be like the last year." Benjamin said, holding his gaze. There was only so much he could promise, in his line of work. But in the last year, he hadn't pushed for the chance to get free of it, to catch up with her as he had promised before. "I got a few months before word gets sent my way on my next job. It ain't much, but it's...something to work with. And it's better than seeing me once every few months." Benjamin rubbed his neck, adding, "Not that I won't do that too, but--you know what I mean. Jobs are going to start drying up anyway...everyone's closing off, don't want strangers around."

"So before too long, you're probably gonna wish you could see the back of me." He snorted softly. "But...we'll figure each other out, like you said. If you'll let me stick around a bit longer than a night." He reached out, curling a lock of her hair around a finger. "And maybe not strangle me with this in your sleep."

"I'm going to never hear the end of it, will I?" Arc sighed as she leaned up to kiss him, the two of them only separated by the cup between them, an odd reminder they still had some things to learn about one another. Still, Arc was smiling as she rested on the soles of her feet, coy as she put down their mugs and tugged him forward by the kilt. "Come, warm me a little more before I have to leave." Maybe Ben didn't have anything to do for the next few months, but Arc could certainly put forward a few suggestions.

In the time that passed, rumors of the army from up north soon became sightings. They were rumors no longer, leaving death and fire in their wake and little else. Still the rulers of the Iron City refused to listen to their people, their advisers, even their own blood. And when Resm grew sick of them, he turned to his old contacts instead -- or, more accurately, their descendants. While Resm traveled from city to city forging new bonds with the help of Benjamin, Ursula and Arc kept a close eye on the inner workings of the castle. Things were growing dim, fast --tales of servants missing, the youngest royalty crying in the throne room, and delayed council meetings.

Something was rotting within the kingdom.

By the time the letter reached Resm, he was already returning to the Iron City from the ashes of his ancient homeland. The sight that awaited him was horrific, beyond compare -- and left him in the snow outside the city walls while his friends remained trapped. Though he, himself, could not enter the city, he knew who could help him. They waited under the cover of night, when the invaders were getting sloshed and loose. It was not hard to sneak into the darkest shadows then.

The city was a shadow of its former self. The once vibrant and busy streets were empty, strewn with ash and debris from the fight to remain free of the invaders' control. Storefronts were smashed, suspicious smears left along the doorways. Here and there were bodies left behind, from those who tried fighting back, only to meet with their final fate. His comrades were silent as they moved throughout the streets, wary and quick to fade back into the shadows whenever soldiers would appear, laughing drunkenly and trying to stand upright as they stumbled down the street.

The last letter had been before the worst of the fighting, still hopeful even as they parted news of all that was going on in the castle. But faced with the aftermath of it all, it was hard to believe many survived the initial capture, let alone two who worked in the now claimed castle. One of the men glanced up at the castle, hit hard by the attack, but still with windows glowing from fireplaces inside. Most of the humans' army likely rested inside, sitting high and mighty in the royal family's home.

Hours passed of exploring the remains of the city, before a side gate opened, the rebels slipping through quietly. They guided two women away from the city, refusing to use lanterns to help them see pitfalls and stray stones or branches that could trip them up. Ursula swore softly, glad she had worn her farmer's boots as she nearly slipped on a slick patch of ice. The night hid the dark circles under her eyes, the exhaustion running through her body over the last few weeks. "How much longer? Resm is really this close?"

"I'm here." Resm appeared from the shadows like a phantom, his green eyes scanning the area for potential danger. For now, things were safe enough, but the atmosphere alone felt killer. He drew close to Ursula and pulled her into an embrace, having missed the woman during his travels for the past months. Benjamin did not make for the most social companion, reminding Resm all too much how good Ursula was to him. "I am glad you are safe." He paused to kiss her forehead, worry making him forget for a moment Ursula might not appreciate all this physical attention. He did not have to worry for long, as Arc quickly had her turn with Resm in a soul-crushing hug. Then she was off to Ben, who admittedly got a warmer welcome.

"I never thought I would live to see...the Iron City has fallen." Resm turned his attention to the castle itself, noting the inside was still lit. That light was no longer welcoming, however. "We are too late." Though his stomach sunk just to say it, it was somehow reassuring to look back and see the small army that had followed Resm from their homelands. "Unless there is word from the royal family. If they have fallen, Mythos is now without a ruler. It will turn to chaos." Resm's tattoos glowed and he turned to Ursula, desperate for information. "Please, are they alive?"

Ursula couldn't meet his eyes, murmuring softly, "I...no one knows, Resm. When they took the city, anyone who worked there was forced out of the castle. Plenty have tried to find out, but...one way or another, they're caught." She shivered slightly, the chill of the night seeping into her heavy winter clothes. His embrace had been welcome, a solid comfort in the upheaval of the last few months, and for a brief moment she wished she could step back into his arms. She continued quietly, "And they're not kind to intruders, Resm. The first few months, they were displaying the heads along the castle gates."

It had been enough of a warning to stop her own attempts at slipping into the castle, quiet and unnoticed. She looked back over the city, her hand finding his for just the briefest of touches. "...I'm sorry. We tried."

From behind them, there was a soft clearing of a throat, an elf saying, "Sir. If I could...Mythos isn't without a ruler. Not quite..."

Misunderstanding what the elf was mentioning, Resm gave a small nod. "You're right. We're not alone; not yet. The Emperor may still be alive, and for that we should give our thanks to the Mother. But for now...I need our scouts to send word to their war chiefs and make a call to arms. The enemy is finally concentrated in one area -- if there was ever a moment to extinguish them, it is now. Those who are here -- I need you to be ready when our reinforcements come. In the meantime.." Resm turned to Arc, noticed the gun she had slung on her hip. "Arc, do you know how these work now?"

Without hesitation she was stripped off the gun and handing it to Resm, flicking the safety and pressing extra ammo into his other hand. "Let me come with you."

"You would do me well to be by my side." Resm consented quietly, glad his friend was so quick to offer. He would no doubt need her. "But we must be quiet -- and you must keep your magic reserves high if we are to transport weapons back here." With Arc's understanding, the two drew up their hoods and turned back to the castle. The thought of death scared Resm, but not so much as the thought of Mythos falling into the wrong hands. "Ursula, Ben, I want you two watching for our signal from the castle. Once the reinforcements arrive, you know what must be done."

Pressing a telecommunication crystal into Ben's hand, Arc pressed a farewell kiss to his cheek and turned away. With only a moment to spare, Resm turned back to the crowd and said softly, "May the Mother guide us."

"By your hand, Resm'iel!" A soldier tearfully sobbed. The crowd was quick to wish him luck, all of them having gathered by his urging.

"Resm'iel." Ursula caught his arm. Her grey eyes were dark with worry, her grip tightening on his sleeve before she pulled it away, aware she was holding for too long. "...you and Arc be careful. I don't want either of you to get caught, please."

Benjamin snorted softly, saying, "If they did, it's those soldiers who have to worry." He nodded to Arc, adding, "If I gotta rescue you, you've gone soft. It better not resort to that."

"You've nothing to worry. I will return...one way or another." Resm felt an urge at that moment to make his farewell more concrete, just in case he did die in the castle, but the intensity in Ursula's eyes and the cries of the soldiers made the elf hesitate. There would be time, later. And if not? Perhaps Ursula would not appreciate it anyway. He gave one last wave to the crowd before he and Arc hurried through the open gate. They had but one chance -- and it was do or die.

The streets inside were even worse than he imagined, gore painting the streets an awful dark brown. Bodies lay strewn about, most with faces twisted in horror. A few soldiers had fallen too, but the disparity between the two was so great Resm felt his heart sink even more. After looting one with a gun still attached to his belt, Arc and Resm pressed forward. Most of the defenses were at the gates, and since those were guarded by drunkards, it was simple enough to pass. Now they just had to walk the streets. Quieting his tattoos, they made for the heart of the city, ducking into decimated storefronts or behind piles of bodies when someone came too close.

They were streaked with blood and grime by the time they arrived at the castle -- which no surprise, was guarded to the teeth with the only sober soldiers left. They paused just outside the castle to make a plan, pausing only when Arc pulled a vibrating crystal from her pocket. Word had been sent to the war chiefs -- they would arrive as fast as their horses could carry them. Resm licked his lips and led his gaze along the edge of the castle. It was Arc who pointed out the hidden passage Ursula had discovered, tucked away behind a pair of tall bushes. They hurried inside, closing the secret door with a soft click.

Step one, done.

The secret passage led up from the kitchens, which were currently filled with lazing soldiers. Arc spotted two off in the bushes. Retreating back to the farthest part of the tunnel, she summoned the two men and took their uniforms. Their mangled bodies lay at the bottom while Resm and Arc made their way to the throne room, where someone was making a speech.

The general stood where the royal family would once receive guests, dignitaries and ambassadors from the farthest corners of Mythos. Enough time with Ursula had given them both the chance to learn the strange language she spoke, the human's grasp of it far harsher and guttural than her soft voice. He gestured to the once grand hall, the trappings torn and used as kindling for the fireplace. "Today is a momentous day for us, men. We stand tall over this nation, ready for us to reach out and take any and everything we desire from it. Our countries will look to us as heroes, bringing home the likes of which they have never seen before. Kings will look to us for glory and answers, all for traveling to this strange world, and taking it for ours."

He lifted his glass, unaware of the two intruders. "We lost good men! I won't deny it. But they gave their lives for us, men, they sacrificed so that we could achieve our goals. So tonight, we celebrate, we mourn those we lost, and we prepare for the coming days. We have their capitol, we have carved up the countryside for our own, but now we must hold it! Hold it and sink our fingers in deep so that they cannot reclaim it for themselves." He snorted, sipping at his wine for a moment. "These...creatures, they waste and squander their resources, their lands...what better than for us to take it and use it properly? Does man not have dominion over the earth?"

Among the cheers that resounded from the men gathered in the hall, Resm turned to Arc and whispered, "Leave and find an empty room. Barrage yourself inside and do not come out until you hear me call for you." The look on Arc's face said enough how willing she was to agree with this strange request, but similarly, Resm's own grim expression forbade arguing. Arc squeezed his hand and did as requested, leaving Resm alone in a room full of soldiers. He took a deep breath and counted one minute.

Then he started.

The first line of soldiers were the first to move, turning towards the throne and taking their guns in hand in the same sweeping movement. Then the row of soldiers behind them followed suit, continuing until every man but the general himself stood with guns pointed straight at him, staring blankly ahead. The only sign that they were still conscious was one man quietly weeping in the back. Resm strode down the aisle they created for him, completely silent until he stood between the first row of men.

His nose was bleeding but otherwise Resm was the picture of composure -- rage burning in his green eyes, lips thinned into a tight frown. He wanted this man dead, now, had the power to make it so, but first he needed information. "Stand tall for now, for I, Resm'iel Kuriane, am here to tear you back down." Unhindered by even one of the men in the great hall, Resm approached the general until only a few stairs separated them.

"Where is my family?" He asked quietly, through gritted teeth.

The general stared down at him, seemingly unconcerned over the guns pointing his way. What little magic they had seen and faced in their conquest never lasted long, leaving the wielders weak and unable to do much more than die at the soldiers' hands. If he waited long enough, in due time his soldiers would regain control, and simply cut the man down. "Kuriane...well, well. Let me guess, a bastard of the family? The king was old enough to have a son your age. He died with a blade in his throat." He continued to describe the deaths of each member, so casually and uncaring, as if describing something out of a book. "His wife was on her hands and knees when we shot her. Maybe that's a relief to you? A bastard is never welcome when the wife lives. And the children..."

He shrugged easily. "Well. They didn't last long. Your family's corpses fed that kennel of hounds well." He frowned for a moment, seeing that the control was still in place, no sign of wavering. "You'll be joining them soon enough. Take some comfort from that."

Oh.

Resm wasn't sure how, or why, but he was suddenly cradling the general's head in his hands. At first he thought it to be a tender gesture, but slowly grew to realize that the general's head was connected to nothing else. Resm turned to look behind him -- only to find the throne room awash in blood. Each soldier that held a gun lay on the ground in the same state, their heads open on the marble and eyes open with shock, as if they still did not register what had happened. Resm casually dropped the head of the general down on the steps and took a seat on the floor in front of the throne.

The backlash of the blood magic finally started to hit him when Arc entered the room -- her horror mirrored his own, muted response, but for a different reason. She was scared for him. Something Resm didn't deserve, honestly. Blood was now leaking from his nose and mouth, and Resm could hardly keep his eyes open to look up at Arc. But still she cradled him against her, waiting as the city fell into chaos once more. When the resistance finally took the castle, and found them both in the throne room, Resm was already unconscious.

Only a handful had seen what happened, unaware of the true story, but already the stories began to spread like wildfire through the resistance. Ursula was silent as she sat outside the door with Arc, a healer already working to make sure Resm was alright. She jiggled her leg nervously, trying to ignore the rumors that had been swirling around since the incident. It just seemed so unlike Resm. At least, not the Resm she had lived with. Her hands clasped together tightly, her head bowed as she closed her eyes, suddenly overwhelmed. The capitol had been retaken and they had a chance to fight back, and it just seemed so much in so little time.

"He'll be alright, won't he, Arc?" She finally asked, having to break the silence. "After what happened..."

"I've never seen him like this." Arc admitted, moving closer to her friend. What little contact they had felt reassuring right now, even if it was something as simple as holding Ursula's hand. The last few months had gone from rough to brutal and to have the capitol reclaimed by her best friend....it felt unreal. But now he was with the medic, struggling through seizures as sudden bouts of blood loss. Even through the thick door they could hear his anguished cries. Arc squeezed her eyes shut, wanting desperately to block out the sound. "The rumors paint him as a savior....but we both know he's mortal."

That's what made all this scarier. Resm could have died -- had he not ordered her from the room, she could have died. But then again, what did she expect him to do when they reached the throne room? Talk the general to death? If he had had the opportunity...maybe. Arc wished she had seen what unfolded in the throne room. The noises in the medic's room finally quieted down. Arc grew still, hearing the very soft ramblings of a delirious man, in a language she did not know. Oh, Resm....

"I, I should..." Arc paused when she saw Ben stop at the end of the hallway. Swallowing back her tears, Arc slowly shook her head. "It sounds like he's calmed down. You should go to him, Ursula."

Ursula hesitated, but the door opened, the medic stepping out and giving them an expectant look, clearly thinking one of them would see to him. She took a deep breath as she stood, saying quietly, "I'll let you know how he is when I can."

The medic stepped aside to allow her into the room, Ursula taking a deep breath before she approached the lone figure in the bed. The room had been cleaned as best as could be done under the circumstances, trashed by the invading army, and so there were still signs of neglect here and there. But the sheets were clean and cool as she sat beside him on the bed, her callused hand reaching for his. Unsure of whether or not he was awake, she settled for holding his hand, quiet as her thumb rubbed little circles against the dark skin.

He looked exhausted, she found, the longer she looked at him. Deep circles under his eyes, his face almost too thin--the poor man was already a string bean, she teased him often enough about it, and now he looked like he was in need of more than a few good meals. She squeezed his hand, not wanting to let go in case he somehow slipped away. "Oh, Resm..." Her voice broke, a tear slipping free. "This shouldn't have happened..."

The amount of effort it took Resm to recognize who sat beside was nearly bad enough to send him back into an exhausted sleep. But he persisted, fingers tightening their grip ever so little and his eyelids fluttering. Poor man couldn't even keep them open for more than a second. Still, he saw what he needed; and felt the smallest bit of joy to see Ursula there. Everything following his confrontation of the invaders' general felt like a hard blur. When he did come to, it was to hack up blood or yell for mercy, so this was...this was nice. "...Ursula..."

Resm couldn't do more than whisper her name, but that alone felt like enough. He sagged against the bed even more when her attention was drawn to him, long hair tickling his neck and cheek. Such a beautiful color, that. Resm sighed, softly, his eyes finally shuttering closed. Having her beside him brought him peace, but it also reminded him too harshly how alone he really was. There was no way of knowing, but Resm believed the invader when he said the royal family was no more. And though they were no longer of ancient blood, they were the only family Resm had -- and their deaths left more than Mythos in shambles.

Resm choked back a sob and buried his face into Ursula's side, the closest thing he could cling to. "Please....kill me...!"

Ursula's ears fell at that pained sob, her cool hand running along his brow and cheeks as she tried to soothe him. She moved closer, so that his head rested in her lap, her loose hair a curtain around him as she bent forward. Hushing him softly, she ran claws gently through his hair as she said quietly, "Don't ask me for that, Resm." No matter how much he hurt, she refused to be the one to grant that favor. She sat with him, falling back into silence as she continued to stroke his sleep-tousled hair, a constant soothing motion. If Ursula couldn't take the pain away, she could at least be there for him, a solid rock, steady for him even when she couldn't be for herself.

After a time, she finally said, "...I'm sorry, for your family." Whether or not he could understand or hear her, she didn't know, but it felt better than the pressing silence in the room. "You...never really talked about them, when we were on the farm. I always had the idea that you weren't close. Which...circumstances being what they are, that was understandable." She took a deep breath. "But--it's hard, isn't it? Losing them...you feel cut off, almost. Like it's easy to be washed out to sea, and there's nothing to hold you in place."

Ursula fell silent for a moment, her heart twinging with a slight ache from memories long since past. "But...eventually, you find an anchor, you know? Something, or someone, you care about. And you're not so much adrift anymore. They can't replace the ones that are gone, no, but--they build a spot for themselves, don't they? In your heart."

Resm kept his eyes squeezed tight, his shaking sobs eventually petering out into the silence they sat in. He could feel the warmth of her, resting like this. Or perhaps it was his own overheating skin. Pressing his face into her stomach, he rested there, one trembling hand on her waist holding him in place for as long as he could manage. She spoke of an anchor, but didn't know the truth of her own words. "I....returned....to the r-ruins." Resm finally croaked, words coming more easily now that he wasn't suffering from raking sobs. "To home."

It was the last place of their travels, a pure luxury on Resm's part -- something he shouldn't have spared. But it was the place he grew and the place where he was finally freed after thousands of years of imprisonment. Of course the land held importance to him. But it also reminded him that everything he had known was now ash, save the book or two he managed to scavenge from the remains of the castle's library. Plagues had a funny way of leaving everything untouched or put to the torch. His ancient race wasn't so lucky.

"I was....ready. Ready to...to....to come to....to live now. To not wait." Wait for what? He couldn't return to time lost, only make up for it. What better way than to make amends with his previously estranged brother's descendants? That was stolen from him too. "Everything I touch is.....becomes rotten." His grip on Ursula's waist became noticeably less. "M...Mythos, I....I can't..."

"You know that's not true." Ursula said, her hand covering his, tight and strong as their fingers intertwined. She tilted his face to the side, so to wipe at the tear tracks on his cheeks. "Resm...look at me, please. I know you're hurting, but don't forget what you've done. It's not the way you wanted, but you took back the capitol, you've built an army of men and women loyal to you..." Ursula cupped his cheek, her thumb rubbing along the tattoos that had once seemed so foreign to her, now just another part of the man she called friend. "You are an amazing man, Resm'iel. And I will never, ever let you forget that. Not after all you've done for my brother and me."

What Ursula said was incredulous at best. Still her words, her power of belief...they brought the smallest of smiles to his face. Resm couldn't do more than crack a smile before his body violently protested, so he left things at that, silently promising to do more when able. "You say...I am....truly, you........" He huffed out a puff of air and relaxed more fully against her, asleep in mere moments. Exhaustion overtook him, no doubt aided by his heightened emotions, and the room once more was plunged in silence. Arc rested against the other side of the door, eyes closed as she took a deep breath. She would give the two as much privacy as she could. For now, she stood watch at the door.

Resm was eventually moved back into a more natural sleeping position by the medic, but thankfully this time he did not lapse into more seizures. Just quiet sleep, at least for the moment. Such peace would not last long. Especially for those still fighting the resistance back from outside of the Iron City.

"I know you must go...but you really can't spend even one more night here? You've been traveling just as hard as Resm, and I'm not ready to let you go just yet." Arc kept Ben rooted in place, if just for a second, her last few months just as difficult as Ben's. To have him torn away so soon wasn't fair, damnit, and the frustration was easy to read on her face, scowl hot enough to boil water.

But she wasn't a child. She knew where Ben's loyalties lay...yet it didn't feel selfish to ask for one night. To not know if you would live to see the next day...Mother guide her, it had never scared her before, knowing she might leave Ben with questions unanswered. "Please, Benjamin."

Benjamin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. The idea was all too tempting. Not even for a quick fuck before he went on his way, but just...to rest, pass out beside someone that he knew and trusted. Even a little bit of normalcy was welcome those days, and that she was fighting for him to stay, just for a night...he soon broke down and nodded. "Alright. Just for the night, Arc, you understand?" He was reluctant even as he said it, his hands slipping into hers. "I've got a mountain before me and all I've got is a damn hammer to break it down, feels like."

He looked dead on his feet, in all honesty. Dark circles under his eyes, his cheeks sharp and gaunt, and his beard much more wild than usual. The man needed some TLC, a hot bath, and Arc in his arms, stubborn though he was to admit it. He tugged at her hands, muttering, "Let's find somewhere private. Gotta be a room that's not completely torn to bits around here..."

Arc didn't even want to know what the state of her apartment was, currently. She imagined a lot of it was on fire or crumbled into debris from the fighting, and no place to take herself or Ben home to. The idea of crashing in the castle didn't really appeal to her, but there was literally nowhere else she could go. It would be good to stay close to Resm, besides. Thankfully, as someone who worked in the castle, she knew the layout well enough to have an idea. "I think I know just the place."

15 minutes later, Ben was soaking in the servants' quarters, their miniature bathhouse big enough to hold three at a time. With a steady fire and Arc's careful coaxing, the bath was steaming hot and the perfect temperature for someone who desperately needed one. She only hoped the man wouldn't fall asleep and sink under the water. Arc ducked away for only a moment to make sure the spare bed was in order, coming back buck-naked to join Ben in the gigantic pool. Unsure if he would want her against him so soon, Arc sat beside him instead, sinking to her nose into the steaming water. Ah, now this was good.

Benjamin submerged after a moment, letting the heat run through the deep aches of his body before he pushed up for air. He swept back his hair, blowing the water from his face before looking to the woman beside him. His lips twitched up in a smile, as he nudged at her. "You going to soak or are you going to at least talk to me?"

He wanted to hear her. To say anything that wasn't about soldiers or troop movements or anything related to Resm's little resistance army. Not that he had minded helping the man, but he had missed hearing her voice, no matter what she could say. He reached for her, an arm going around her shoulders as he pulled her close, sighing as he pressed his cheek to the top of her head. "Come on. Something good must've happened while I was away. Couldn't be all doom and gloom..."

With an amused chuckle, Arc surfaced and nuzzled into that crook Benjamin had provided for her. It only took her a moment to think of something good -- though most wouldn't be as excited as she. "I purchased a rather nice looking rapier from some refugees. It has a few fire runes engraved on the hilt, and has a bit more weight to it than the typical one. I've yet to try it out on anything but dummies, but I think it holds promise. I also got to spend a lot of time with Ursula while we led our insider rebellion...that was nice. She's a lot more crafty than I thought. I think living here really has rubbed off on her, though Ursula will never admit that."

Arc smiled a little at the thought, closing her eyes at this last piece of good news. "Something good did come from your absence. I realized I love you." Though how Ben would take that, Arc didn't know. If he was leaving in the morning, she may as well lay it on the table. If peace came after this long war, she wanted Benjamin to at least know where she stood on things. "...You don't have to say anything on it, but, I thought it was worth mentioning."

His eyes were closed as he let her words wash over him, but as she confessed her feelings, his grip loosened just a bit, his cheek rising from the top of her head. He looked at her, almost incredulous, and for a moment it looked as though he would pull away and leave--before his lips found hers. She said he didn't have to say a word, and so he didn't. His hands cupped her face, tilting it upwards so he could kiss her deeply, as demanding as ever for her attention and desire.

Gods, how he missed the feel of her. Even in his exhaustion, his body responded to hers, and he couldn't deny how her words affected him either. Tugging her into his lap, her chest pressed against his, he nipped and kissed those soft lips as he finally said, "And you were fussing at me over not being sure if this would go anywhere..." Benjamin's dark eyes looked at her bright blue, his beard moving slightly as he smiled, an honest, genuine smile that looked so strange on his normally surly face. His hands ran along her waist and down her hips, as he said, "A good realization. You're making me glad I stayed..."

Arc answered Ben's attentions with a good-natured laugh, surprised her words had such an immediate effect on him. Arc settled for another deep kiss, glad he had stayed, too. With the knowledge that he would be gone soon, Arc wanted to soak in as much of him as possible. She swallowed down her dark thoughts and replaced it with the knowledge he, too, loved her. Mother be good, he loved her. One day, Arc would get him to say it, too.

"I would follow if I could." Arc finally murmured, rested her head on Benjamin's shoulder. "But Resm needs me, here, in the capitol. If they really make him Emperor, he needs to be surrounded by friends, and I may be of some help. But...you will return, the enemy will be thoroughly demolished, and we will travel, as we spoke of in months past." After a moment of silence, Arc shifted, the water rippling around her as she sat up straight in Ben's lap and stared him down. "You will come back to me, Benjamin Kirkwall, or I'm going to track you down and make you my newest kill. Do you understand?"

"...which weapon would you use to kill me--that's a joke!" He said, a bit defensively, before she could do much more than give him a stern look. He caught her hands. "I swear I'll come back to you, Arcana. I'm not letting this bit of good slip away from me." There was nothing but honesty in his voice, firm and true. He meant every word of it. The moment he could slip away, steal back just a bit of time with her, he would be there. He was reaching the end of that life, he realized, the more he looked at her. When a man wondered if it was worth continuing the fight, knowing what was waiting for him, it was time to pack it in.

"You stay and keep Resm in line. Gods knows he's going to need it if they put that crown on his head." Benjamin said. "And I'll be back before you know it." He cupped her face again, his thumb rubbing along her cheek. "But we still got tonight."

"Do we?" It came out more jaded than she meant. Arc leaned into his touch and rested her forehead against his, taking a moment to breathe.

Very quietly, Arc whispered, "I want you to make love to me, Benjamin."

Even as bone-tired as they both were, he did. He even carried her like he would if she were his bride, to the servants' quarters, to the nearest bed to sink into, Arcana in his arms. It was slow, steady, not quite the frantic fucking they had experienced what seemed ages ago, as if he was memorizing every last detail of her face, the way she twisted and moaned in his grasp, as he filled her again and again. The dying light of the fireplace washed over them, the two making their slow love, whispered promises to see one another again and almost-but-not-quite declarations of love. It would still take some time for Benjamin to say it, but he proved it to her as best he could that night, his arms wrapped around her, the sweat cooling on their bodies, and held her tight.

He kissed her neck, her shoulder, rubbing his hand along her waist, as he whispered, "When I come back, you got plans for me?" He meant it as a tease, but there was an underlying curiosity. What else would she want from him, after saying what she did? Marriage, a house, children? If she asked, he wasn't certain he could say no. If he even wanted to say no. Something of her seemed to tear out all of his previously held values, forcing him to stop and think, and he loved her for it. He kissed her again, beard tickling her cheek.

"Mmph." Arc answered every kiss that claimed her lips with a lazy one of her own, feeling euphoric after such an intense moment of passion and love. If she had looked tired before all this, she was absolutely rejuvenated now, hair a tangled mess and cheeks a bright, cute pink. When Benjamin pulled away to let her speak, Arc couldn't help but laugh, saying, "A good, old-fashioned Northern welcome home," aka this, "and traveling, previously mentioned...I didn't realize there was more to be had."

Settling back against the pillows, Arc let her gaze fixate on his post-sex bliss, amused as always when she finally got Benjamin to smile. It didn't take long for him to start marking her with a few more lovebites, though, so Arc settled for running her hands through his hair. "Does....does marriage appeal to you, Benjamin Kirkwall?" Arc laughed at the thought, murmuring, "If you start talking children, I'm going to gut you."

 

"I'd rather not have you gut me, so I think I'll pass on even thinking about kids." He said dryly, allowing her to tousle and mess with his hair, the fingers running through his scalp leaving his eyes half-lidded with bliss. "Mm...marriage...I dunno. Whatever we've got going on between us is good, wed or unwed. So whatever happens when I come back...I'll take that northern welcome home. And traveling. And you." He hummed, a low growl rumbling from deep inside his chest whenever she would scratch lightly at his head. "Wedding ring or not."

"But I'm going to enjoy the now, I think." He murmured finally, pressing his face into her chest, to breathe her in. Playfully, he bit at her breast, yet another lovebite for her to remember him by. "It's a pretty good now. Better than the past few months by a long shot."

"This single night may make up for the entirety of it..." Arc continued to card her fingers through Ben's chocolate-colored hair, stilling only when he resumed his attentions. She hoped these marks would take longer to fade...sometimes they felt like the only thing she had to remember Ben by. "Besides, who needs weddings rings? We could have...matching sabres, or knives, or, oh, Goddess, maybe a battle axe. Can you swing a battle axe? With those arms of yours, I would imagine....oh, that's quite a good image. I might be persuaded to children if you propose to me with a matching set of battle axes." Arc giggled at the thought, laughter catching when Ben bit a little higher.

"You can't possibly have more energy." Arc whined, pressing her palms against his chest in a faux attempt to push him off. "I know I said I love you, and I'll say it again if need be, but..."

"Mm, you telling me you can't keep up anymore?" He growled against her skin, leaving a trail of lovebites and hickies along the way until he reached her throat. There wasn't much left for him to mark, so he settled for capturing her in a heated kiss. As they broke apart for air, he bumped his forehead against hers with a rough chuckle. "...come on. One last memory before I have to leave tomorrow. You can show me what to expect with a proper northern homecoming."

"Oooh, you beast." Arc laughed breathlessly, her hands trailing up his twitching body. The man was playing with fire, the way his body was responding to all this, but there was a little bit of desperation in the both of them. Who knew what Benjamin was running into, with the war still raging outside the Iron City's walls? Arc didn't want to think about it, to be honest, and she had a feeling Benjamin didn't either. Hoping he couldn't taste the nostalgia on her lips, Arc brought him into a kiss before pressing the man onto his back.

The morning next found the two lovers in a mess of their own making, though Benjamin was being torn from it too early for Arc's liking. She was awake the moment he shifted in bed. Waiting for him to get out of bed, Arc didn't move until she heard him pull on his kilt, rolling over to watch him get dressed. It wasn't like her to cry -- so she didn't -- but she almost felt obligated to, at the moment. This was goodbye, for who knew how long. With a soft sigh, Arc sat up and brought the sheets into her lap, eyes trailing over Ben as he slowly dressed. Those fighting would tease him about those marks, if they had a moment for banter.

Maybe it would have been better for her to pretend to sleep -- this was heart-wrenching. "Give them hell, Benjamin Kirkwall."

Benjamin turned at her words, sighing before he pulled her close for a kiss--oddly soft and tender, his fingers tightening against the back of her neck to keep her in place, before he had to reluctantly relinquish his hold on her. If it meant coming back to her in one piece, he'd tear the bulk of the army apart by himself. His forehead pressed against hers for a brief moment, he said, "And you keep our friends in line. Don't let me come back to a mess, yeah?" Another kiss, to her forehead this time, before he grabbed his bag and headed to the door. "I'll be back before you know it, Arc, I swear."

And with that, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

In the months that followed, contact was sparse. The resistance had enough on its plate just getting the Iron City back on its feet, rebuilding efforts slow and painful as they had to fend off any attempts to breach the city walls. And the lack of a clear leader was hurting everyone, the loss of the royal family deeply felt. They had been fighting for their freedom, to bring them home safely, and while the Iron City was now in the resistance's hands, the deaths hung over the men and women like a pall. They came to look to Resm for orders, coming to him with their concerns and inquiries, bowing or saluting as he passed. Gone was that familiarity the resistance soldiers had for the man, replaced instead with an awkward reverence, some dropping all too awkward hints for what they hoped he may become.

One such soldier had to hurry off, cheeks flaming red in embarrassment, as Ursula stared after him. She glanced to Resm, ears flicking with curiosity. "Did he...just call you what I think he did?"

"If they attempted to crown me again in whilst I slept, they are well aware it does not apply as I did not give the consenting words." Resm grumbled, having become irritatingly familiar with the rumors spreading through all of Mythos. The royal family was decimated, leaving all but one heir -- an odd choice, but closer to the original bloodline than any of the previous rulers in the last millennia. In addition, he was the one to gather the resistance together, with high-ranking officers still fiercely loyal to his cause, still dying in the fields for his honor. Resm had, unwillingly, made his case for the throne even stronger. So much for disappearing again. 

Arc gave a low whistle at the sight of the soldier scuffling off. He had been the first civilian to say it so boldly, if by accident. "Careful Resm, they might think your reluctance for the throne is an even more charming trait." Not that she was complaining. Resm's new position of unspoken power was the only thing keeping her in touch with Benjamin, the thought of which brought her hand to her belly. Resm was also the one who had been quick to inform Arc that she was --

"Pregnant, and still hurrying about as if there's no care to the world. Arguably, there wasn't, just four months prior, but still, Arc, go rest." Resm's words fell on deaf ears, as usual. Arc dropped her hands and tugged the supply order out of Resm's hands instead. 

"I've my own duties, Emperor Kuriane. See to yours." With that, Arc was off, leaving Resm'iel with an even more sour expression on his normally handsome face. That seemed to be the only expression he made these days, save when he got to tell Arc she was pregnant. He only wished he knew why she didn't want to tell Ben yet. Somehow being pregnant was making her even more headstrong, as if the fetus was already forming that personality trait.

After he had recovered from the aftereffects of his blood magic, Resm was hounded by the remaining council members to ascend to the throne. He refused -- of course. The last time he had been nominated for the throne, his siblings had sealed him into a sword and left him in witches' care. But some seemed to think of him as a good fit, for reasons Resm hated to acknowledge. Fuck it all. "Shall we ignore it?" Resm snapped, rubbing his fingers into his forehead. "I thought I was dying before, but this....insufferable." 

"It probably doesn't help that you haven't eaten all day." Ursula said, rising and tugging him to his feet. He had grown sour and snappish as of late, and in his position, she could hardly blame him. "Let's at least get some food in you before you try to hide away. At least then you'll have a full stomach by the time they come looking for you." She couldn't help but tease gently, patting his flat stomach. "Maybe this time the cook won't kick me out of the kitchen. I can cook something up for you and we can hide away there."

She wasn't about to take no for an answer, her arm hooking in his and leading him gently, but firmly, away. The castle kitchens were quiet at that time of day, fairly empty, and she soon had him sitting at the long table in the main room, where most of the servants took their meals before serving the others. Or had, before the attack. Now it was just a handful of people working there, including Ursula herself, keeping a sharp ear out for gossip and news that she thought might prove useful for him. Her sleeves rolled up, she began pulling out pots and pans, testing the iron stove before feeding it with wood and kindling. "Hopefully you'll have some time to relax before they come looking for you..."

Resm wasn't about to admit that her tap against his stomach left him winded, so the skinny elf followed along, lest he trip and make an even bigger fool of himself. The kitchens were a small comfort in these times -- if Ursula wasn't by his side already, he often found her in the kitchens working one of her two magics. "Would you like assistance?" Watching her pull out all the pots and pan with a sort of hellish fury was amusing as always, but Resm really did want to help. He knew a few ways to make stew, being a thousand some-odd years old.

"Perhaps you would prefer I just watch..." Resm mumbled when she ignored him to start cooking, pulling up a seat from the table so he could at least sit close and watch. This was a familiar feeling from their days living on the farm -- Resm only being allowed to help if there was nothing else he could do. "If they come looking for me, we could always toss them to the flames. Or I could make them explode." Ah, there was that. Having not used his bloodmagic since that fateful day months back, his body was now thrumming with power, newly awakened and hungry for anything it could sink its teeth into. Resm had, accidentally, exploded small magical beasts more than once since then. He's been better about it, but most are still hesitant to use magic around him. Namely Arc. 

Ursula paused in her frenzy, the knife coming to a slow stop from dicing chicken into little cubes, the remaining sizzling away in a pan next to her. She took a deep breath and continued, picking up the pace almost immediately. "Resm, that isn't funny." The jokes had popped up now and then, leaving the woman uncomfortable even if he found some small amusement in them. All they reminded her was that her, Arc, and Benjamin--not to mention the men and women trying to nudge him into taking the throne--could have lost him, all over a wild display of magic. She took a deep breath as she continued to cook, the kitchen soon alive with rich smells of whatever concoction she was cooking for him. She scrubbed at her hands, keeping a careful eye on the meat and its side dishes, trying to keep the tone light as she added, "Anyway, we have a perfectly serviceable wine cellar. Lock them up and maybe by the time we let them out, they'll be so drunk they have to forget what they came to bother you with."

Ursula dried her hands, sighing as she looked to him, a small smile crossing her face. "And yes, you can just watch. You have enough to worry about. Just...let someone else take care of you for once, Resm." He had more than earned that. It took him almost dying for it to properly sink in, but as she watched the man who gave, and gave, and gave, her smile fell a bit. It wasn't right that someone so generous could have so much taken away from him. Ursula cleared her throat after a moment, and turned back to the stove. "I mean, I know it's a strange concept, but you can get treated every once in awhile..."

"Seems that my future is going to contain quite a large amount of fussing," Resm sighed, "and unfortunately, not only from you. I lived as a prince once. I can only imagine how bad it will be as Emperor. But this...this I will sit still and take happily." He hadn't meant it to sound like it did, the elf pausing for a moment before awkwardly clearing his throat. That was a little too on-the -nose. Hoping Ursula didn't catch it, Resm grew quiet, content for the moment to watch her at work. The food, as always, smelled delicious. 

"If you weren't content with your current position in the castle, I'd be tempted to write you a glowing reference to become the head cook." Resm finally murmured, eyes half-lidded as the frenzy of the day and lack of energy caught up to him. "Your brother could join you, his husband too, and it would be a family business, all over again. A little bit of light, in these dark days." Truth be told, it was Ursula who knew the most about Solomon's whereabouts. Resm had lost track of him long ago, and felt poorly for it. But the idea of the two of them being in charge of his food was somewhat reassuring -- oh, fuck it all. Even sleepy Resm was contending himself to his fate. 

Eyes wide open again, Resm took in the sight of Ursula bent over the kitchen stove a little more closely and swallowed, hard. Seems his taste for treats hadn't changed much over the years. "I hope you're making enough for yourself, too."

"Solomon isn't looking to uproot himself from the south just yet." Ursula said, straightening up as she pulled out two bowls. More than enough had been made, and she could pass the leftovers on to Arcana and whoever crossed her path in need of a good meal. The bowls were filled with rice, topped off with a creamy orange sauce and chicken, one set before Resm and the other for her. She settled at the table, a glass of wine poured for them both, as she added, "...He's a father now, would you believe it? He and Jericho adopted."

Ursula blew softly at the steaming hot meal, soon digging in with a happy hum. It came out perfectly, just the right level of spiciness. That was something she loved about staying at the castle, even if she missed her farm terribly--all the ingredients available almost made up for the loss. She glanced at him after a moment, drawn away from the meal. "There has to be something that'll put you in the right frame of mind, Resm...I don't think I've ever seen you like this before. It just doesn't suit you."

"Talking with you helps. You know that." Resm brought the bowl closer to him and mixed all the ingredients together impatiently before taking his first bite. Perfect, as always. The food did bring a little smile to his lips, though his ears were still noticeably droopy. Ursula always did know the right amount of spice to put in. "...I just don't know what else to do. If I just left, what good would that do? To abandon all I had built would be negligence at its finest. Even if the prospect of hiding back on our farm seems a delightful summer dream at this point." He took another bite, chewing thoughtfully until another thought came to him. "I was easier to cheer up when I was younger." 

Even now, Resm was just waiting to hear an army of footsteps headed there way -- it was midnoon and he hadn't heard from the council yet. The hubbub from the soldier had soured his mood, all the same, and Resm wasn't sure how he would react if they beset on him right now. At least let the elf finish his meal, damnit. "What do you do to cheer yourself up, Ursula?" 

"I cook." Ursula said, laughing to herself as she enjoyed her meal. She patted her stomach gently, still soft even after food shortages and lack of supplies. "And I try to share what I cook with other people. Because it makes me happy to see them enjoy my food. I like to feel productive, so when I work, or cook, or...anything, it makes me feel better. Knowing that I'll have something that I made in my hands once I'm done is satisfying, and knowing that others will enjoy it too is...well, it's a good feeling."

She finished the food, taking one last sip of wine. "Otherwise? I find you."

 

"One blessing of friendship, then. While I'm...obviously flattered, I had hoped you and Arc would establish a stronger bond by now. Am I wrong? Or do I..." Well, how do you even ask something like that? Did he offer a different kind of happiness for Ursula? It was something he desperately wanted to know, but felt he couldn't ask, not just yet. The situation didn't feel right. "Well, regardless. If events go as the Council wishes I'm afraid both of us are going to be out of luck -- at least for a small time." Resm didn't sound pleased at the thought, and small wonder why. 

He was just about to take a drink of wine when he heard them coming -- and growled at the irritatingly familiar sound. "Seems you're not the only one seeking me out these days. Best put on a brave face." 

Ursula gave him a sympathetic look, standing to gather their dirty dishes. She squeezed his hand gently as she passed, saying, "Well...I'll return the favor. Come find me when you're done, alright? Maybe by then I'll have dessert done too."

A sweet promise, but sour when it came to being ushered into the council room. Already gathered, the council looked up as one to greet him, standing from their chairs as he was led to a seat of his own, in the center of the room. Once he had taken his seat, they slowly sat down--just another sign of how far things had gone when it came to his supposed claim to the throne. A few shuffled papers, uncertain of where to begin, as one finally cleared his throat. He spread his hands, saying evenly, "My lord--sir--Resm'iel Kuriane. It's no mystery why we asked to meet with you..."

The only thing that kept Resm was immediately leaving was the curious object placed in front of his seat. It took the elf a moment to remember to sit, the sight of it stunned him so terribly. When he did shakily take his seat, Resm slowly reached out and took the crown from its place on the table. It was not the previous Emperor's crown, but looked shockingly like his Mother's distinct ring of black stone. It was of equal size and shape to his Father's crown, so many years ago, but was distinct by the fact that magical touch kept the stones hovering just so in the iconic crown shape. Even as Resm touched it, the crown flared to life, as if it recognized the bloodline instantly.

Resm stared down at it with a bittersweet feeling. 

Something like this should have been lost to time, yet it was here, sitting in his hands, a real reminder of his parents' legacy. "Quiet." Resm finally cut short the councilman's stammering, the room thrust into immediate silence. Resm twirled the crown slowly in his hands twice before looking around the room. "Where did you find this?" 

"I-it was part of the treasury, sir. The enemy was unable to crack it open by the time you arrived so it, ah, it remained safe. We thought it fitting to return it to the closest descendant, being, of course, you, ah," The man fumbled to a stop, Resm having glanced back down at the black onyx crown. There was an obvious unease in the room, with those gathered wondering if Resm approved of the gesture or not. But finally -- the Emperor laughed. 

"You may not realize, but this was my mother's crown. She ruled hand-in-hand with my Father, keeping his passion in check with her rational intellect. Had it not been for the plague that consumed our land and people, we may have shaped Mythos into a different land. As it is, Mythos still chose my bloodline to rule, and as continues to be, we are in need of another to take the throne." He paused, slowly closing his eyes. The crown in his hands felt heavy. "....if I must." 

"So--that is to say...you accept?" The councilman asked, once it was clear he was allowed to speak once more. Already Resm had control over the crowd, asserting what they saw as his natural place. Relief was on the face of every council member in the room--except for one, the man watching Resm, not at all convinced. As the murmurs died down, he spoke out. "We are so ready to give this man the control over an entire empire. The royal family barely acknowledged him, he claims to be from a line that's been dead for centuries...are we really that desperate?"

He stared hard at Resm. "A parlor trick with a crown is not enough to convince anyone that you are the rightful ruler of the empire. We face an invasion, and at this point, it's clear my fellow council members would be willing to give the throne to anyone who could warm it. What proof do you even have, that you're of the bloodline? Why should we take you at your word?" He snorted softly. "What makes you more suited than, say, any bastard of the royal family that we could hunt down?"

"I've a thousand years of knowledge at my side and bloodmagic flowing through my veins. But if that is not enough to appease you, by all means, hunt down a child who shares but a sliver of my power and place them on the throne. See how they do in this warring age." Resm bit down his fury with a sigh. Of course there would be one contender -- and honestly, he was glad to hear it. If everyone was so quick to accept him, he would be worried for Mythos, indeed. "There is no option for me to claim my birthright but what you see before you. All who know me are dead, and those who could vouch for me still cool in their tombs below us."

"If you doubt me, I am glad, because it means you are willing to think a little harder than most. But it is as you say -- I've not yet proved myself to be of blood, only to rule where you faltered." Resm turned his glance to the naysayer and gave him a charming little smile. "What would you suggest I do?"

"I've done my fair share of studying." He said flatly, not to be deterred by a smile, charming or not. "The original seat of the empire still stands, if untouched. It's one of the few blank pages of our history books, beyond the knowledge that a plague happened around the area...whatever records that may have been kept are likely still located there, because their knowledge hasn't passed on to the rest of Mythos. If you can find one shred of evidence that you are part of the royal family, then I'll accept that I was wrong to doubt you. Until then, I would prefer my fellow councilmen not to give up the power of a bloody nation just because they're scared of humans with these...handheld cannons." 

The last line was snapped at the others gathered, some looking away in embarrassment or shame. The elf settled in his chair, having said his piece. "How you obtain it, I couldn't care."

 

"Well," Resm grunted as he got up from his seat, the crown placed back delicately on the table, "I'll need a bit of time to collect such evidence. If you'll excuse me." Without fanfare or pleasantries, Resm left the room in search of Ursula and Arc. They would be the first to know about this startling development. And though Resm was loathe to become Emperor in the first place, he did not mind visiting his home once more. Having visited just a few months back with Benjamin, at least he now knew what to expect. Turning the corner, Resm hurried up the stairs until he found Ursula's private room. 

He opened the door after a careful knock, saying nonchalantly, "I'm to be Emperor. I'll need your help in finding evidence of my birth, though, so please pack two weeks' worth of clothing and meet me in the stables. Thank you." He slid the door closed and was off once more to do his own packing, waiting in the stables just 30 minutes later. Unfortunately Arc found him there and was thoroughly grilling the soon-to-be Emperor. 

"Tell me you're joking. They had the gall to....after all you've done for them?" Arc sighed and dragged her hand down her face, watching unhappily as Resm prepared Charming for his trek. "You're seriously going with just Ursula?" 

"Ouch." There was a quiet laugh from behind her, Ursula pressing a hand to her chest in a mock gesture of being insulted. She was still smiling, a bag thrown over her shoulder. "I know I'm not quite as accomplished as you are, Arc, but you're a little laid up at the moment." She shifted her bag, looking to Resm. "You really know how to catch my attention, don't you?"

She moved to the stable that housed her horse, getting her saddled and set for a long journey. "This will make...the third trek across Mythos I've made. I should write a book about it someday." Smiling a bit at her joke, Ursula looked to the two. "Resm, you're alright with this? I mean...no offense, but this seems a bit of a fool's errand. I know you said you went back, but..." She chewed her lip in thought. "You really want this? Becoming emperor, that's not quite something you can go back from."

"I do. As much as the idea pains me, I believe this is the future my parents saw for me -- rebuilding a torn country. It wouldn't have to take so long, nor would I do it under these current circumstances, yet here I stand, in a country that needs a guiding hand. At least...until someone better is to be found." Ah. So perhaps that was Resm's tilt on things -- take control at least until someone challenges him. Little did the ancient elf know, he had deeply miscalculated the council's competency in finding a replacement. They were quite happy with what they were getting, even if Resm did not agree. Still, this seemed good enough for Resm for the time being, all under the guise that it would be temporary. 

"You two be careful." Arc worried from her place on the ground. Were she not pregnant, she would happily go as Resm's bodyguard. Now Ursula would just have to fill that role. "I don't want you unlocking anymore blood magic, Resm. Unless things are really dire." She worried her bottom lip and glanced to Ursula. "Just...don't do anything reckless. I'd like you both home in one piece." 

Resm laughed as he glanced to Ursula, a warm fondness alight in his eyes. "We'll be fine. We know each other better than lovers."

It took a moment before she returned the smile, not quite looking at him as she went to mount her horse. "Listen to the charmer. Don't you worry about a thing, Arc. We'll bring each other home safe. I'll send letters whenever we get the chance so you don't think we just...up and disappeared." She turned to Resm, taking a deep breath. "Well, you're the one who wanted so quick a start. Shall we go?"

Goodbyes said, a plan in place, it wasn't much longer before they were on the road out of the city. Ursula paused, looking back over her shoulder--the Iron City was still being rebuilt, slowly but surely, and she could only hope that when they returned, it would be to a city that Resm could proudly rule over. As it stood now, it wasn't much of a seat for the empire. She took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the open road, deserted and quiet. Hardly anyone was traveling those days, and for good reason. "So. This city of yours. How far away are we talking, exactly?"

"Did you pack two weeks' worth of clothing as I instructed? If not, that's fine. The ride should only take a few days -- my city lays in ruin not too far. Just far enough that the plague could not reach." Resm squinted at the distance, his tattoos glowing just a moment before he turned Charming westward. "Did you speak true of writing a book? Considering all you have done, I would like to read it. Mythos changes each time I lay my eyes on her -- it would be interesting to see it from your point of view as well. But...books take time, and when do we ever have time? Perhaps by the fire, tonight." 

They passed by leftover corpses, bodies that fell off carts or were lost in the foliage, unseen by those tasked in cleaning the lands of the dead. Charming spooked at one man lying stiff in the middle of the road, but Resm calmed him and they continued on. If they spotted to bury every dead man they saw, they would never know peace. Besides, his uniform marked him as an invader. They deserved no rest. "I wish for once we could travel for pleasure. See the sights." 

 

"I figured you and Arc saw plenty of sights when you adventured together." Ursula said, keeping her eyes from the ditches that lined the roads. Plenty of corpses had been tossed aside from the road, the stagnant water only growing worse as the bodies rotted away. She grimaced, covering her sensitive nose, ears flicking occasionally from the flies that buzzed everywhere. At least with the further they rode outwards, the dead were less and less, until the only smell was a faint hint of rain on the horizon. "Not that I'm disagreeing, but...you know me. Bit of a homebody."

She laughed quietly, glancing at him. "I feel like since I've come here, I've had more than my fair share of adventure. Not that I mind it...I've met you, and Arc, and even Benjamin...but it's not quite how I thought my life would go." Ursula whistled softly to her horse, the creature tossing his head for her attention. "Writing it all down would be something though. At least to remember everything when I get old, or something."

"We did, but it was never on my own time. Just company time, even when returning from any particular adventure." Resm sighed softly at the thought. He and Arc were constantly shifting from job to job, because that was the thrill -- less so the beauty of Mythos. You really don't know what you have until it's gone. "Even then, you scanned the horizon not for landmarks but for rogues hiding in the shadows. Not that I had much to worry about, with Arc. She was always more attuned to danger than I." 

"But you...you have faced more danger than you ever deserved. The fact that you can keep laughing and smile is the reason I value you as a friend, but you know that." Resm smiled at her in return before turning his gaze back to the road. "But...should you forget any adventures, you can always ask me for a refresher, provided I was there." 

"Well, with that offer in mind, I hope we share more adventures together." Ursula said softly, her eyes still on him before she had to look back to the road, unless she wanted to steer her horse into a ditch. Something in her wanted him to value her for something more, her heart twisting sharply at the thought. Stupid, foolish thought--if he wasn't on the path to become an emperor of an entire continent, it may have been different. For now, she shoved those thoughts aside, sighing as she raked her claws through her hair. "So...a few days' ride to this city of yours, and then a search for anything to prove you're part of the bloodline."

"Do you have any idea of what we should look for?" She asked, before smiling. "Any chance you've got a birthmark your family's well known for...? Maybe the council will take that as proof."

"I do admit, I'm at a loss what will prove my bloodline. I always thought of my bloodmagic as a definitive trait but even that did not seem convincing enough." The council had left him in a bit of a stump, truth be told, but Resm was sure something would come to mind once they reached the castle. "When I last visited I only made my way through the town...I dare not touch the castle for the restorative magic seal on the grounds there. But now that my magic has awoken....perhaps I would be able to search the castle for proof."

Provided his brothers had not tossed out all mentions of him in the years following his banishment. Resm's long ears flicked with irritation, sending his hooped earrings into a clattering frenzy. "The council is lucky to have me agree to help them in any way, shape, or form. The fact that they demand proof...well, I could have done away with the naysayer if I truly wished. But that would hardly make for a good first impression, no?...If I looked as I should no one would question my heritage." 

Oh, now this was a new topic. 

"As you should?" Ursula's brows rose, the woman a bit glad to get away from the subtle threat to the man who spoke down to Resm. She didn't need to hear a repeat performance of the night they retook the castle, and she doubted Arc would have appreciated it either. She latched onto what seemed the safer route, curious despite herself. "How should you look? You stand out as it is, Resm."

Not that she minded, of course. Resm had his charm, lanky though he was, and while she loved to see him smile regardless of circumstances, the stress of his day-to-day life left her with fewer to witness, and made her work harder to see him flash a quick smile, or laugh that quiet laugh of his. And all the better when it was for her and her alone. So if he meant that he needed to look more regal, or more like a king, she couldn't have disagreed more, and was prepared to argue that he was fine the way he was--more than fine, even. She laughed a bit, trying to tease him. "I don't think there's a way to really look royal, anyway. It's mostly in the crown, isn't it?"

Resm snorted with amusement at the notion, thinking Ursula, like the rest of the world, did not realize just who blood elves were. "The curse I was placed under had more than one negative connotation. Aside from keeping me eternally awake, I did not come out of the curse whole." Resm pressed a hand to his skinny chest and sighed with longing. Even on the farm, he had barely built any muscle mass, though it was obvious he could do more and more with each day. With the stress of everything, Resm had effectively lost what little he had gained in the first place, leaving him his classic stringbean-self. 

"Blood elves, were -- usually -- at an average of 6.5 feet tall. I stood at 7.5. I weighed 3 times my current weight and had the muscle behind to back it. When I came free of the curse, I did not realize just how much the current Mythos shaped me. I look different from other elves, but I should look...I cannot explain well enough. I should look more than my current self. But I am soft, skinny, and weak in all but my magic, which even the witches could not tear from me." Visibly flustered, Resm paused and closed his eyes for a moment. There was one small blessing, but it was inappropriate to discuss with Ursula, friends though they may be. "...There may be a portrait of me, in my prime, hidden within the castle."

Silence greeted him, once he had finished. Ursula was staring at him, only kept on track as her horse followed obediently after Charming. She had a thoughtful look to her face, as though trying to match his current appearance up with how he had looked in the past. Now, she couldn't say if what she was imagining was quite the way he looked in the past, but...she had to admit. There was always something nice about a guy with a bit of muscle. And tall, god. That spoke to her much deeper than anything else--likely the dragon in her rearing its head, always looking for the biggest male. Damn. Ursula went red, finally jerking her eyes away from him as she cleared her throat. "Ah, well...maybe we'll come across it. They wouldn't be able to deny a portrait."

But the more evidence gathered, the better. She hoped any documents could survive for so long, but that was a long shot. Even hoping for a portrait was a bit much. Ursula sighed, twisting her hair around her finger in thought. "Blood elves were...pretty tall then. Was everything bigger in those days, or just you lucky few?"

Resm absolutely couldn't believe it. Did...did Ursula really like the image he was putting in her head right now? She had gone a bright red -- impressive, with her dark skin -- and even now, attempted at asking casual questions. The little waver in her voice did little to convince Resm otherwise. He hid his own smile by covering his mouth with his hand, waiting until he had regained composure before answering. "I think that was the case, yes. At least where we lived. Have you seen heragons yet? We admired them in particular for a reason." The great beasts were sparse in this timeline as well, but thankfully under the protection of the royal family. Though....Resm wondered if any survived the war. 

"I had hoped my brothers' descendants would have some ancient traits, but their blood only barely sung with magic. A good thing, in truth, because the only way to keep the line going at this rate would be incestuous means." Resm grimaced at that. "Which is abhorred at best, disgusting at it's worst. Which leaves things to me, the last bloody blood elf on Mythos with a lick of magic. Though I wouldn't be surprised if the curse made me infertile, too. I...I've been free for several years now and I've never once had to think of children." The expression on Resm's face was hard to read, some mixture of displeasure and worry. "That's expected of an emperor, though, is it not?"

"Usually, yes." Ursula said, careful with her words. Something in his tone suggested she watch where she tread, her steps uncertain. "But first they need to make you emperor first. And marriage, before anyone tries pushing you to continue the bloodline. And...even then. I don't know how it's done in Mythos, but at home, succession is never always clear...if you can't produce an heir, there'll be other routes. There always are." Unsure if her words were a comfort or not, she rubbed the back of her neck. "Whether you know or not, it's good to have plans for back up, in case something doesn't go the way you want."

"Honestly, I'd be more concerned about an impending marriage." She said. "You've...just become the continent's most eligible bachelor, Resm."

Oh. Ursula had a point there. "Then I've come full circle....though I think I will approach things a touch differently, this time around." Resm mused, a small smile finally returning to his face. Now that was cryptic, too, but before Ursula could even think to comment on it, Resm was pointing out a good place to camp. They had started late in the evening, after all, and it was but a few hours before the sun started to dip below the horizon. Night would overtake them soon. 

It was times like these Resm did miss Arc's magic -- digging out the tarps, setting them up, and wiping them down was leagues easier when all you had to do was summon a ready-made one. But Resm managed out of habit, as did Ursula, and soon enough they had a bonfire to keep them warm once stars started to dot the sky. Resm left Ursula to do the cooking while he pulled out a journal to read, the elf slowly flipping through the pages. It was written all in that strange language Resm sometimes spoke of -- meaning it was a namesake of some sort. Too bad it didn't count as proof of his bloodline.

Ursula watched him from the corner of her eye, the rest of her attention on the rations they had brought with them, food that would be easy to cook and keep over the course of their journey. If nothing out of the ordinary happened, she would have enough to last them both the two weeks they were traveling. Once done, she bundled the finished meal up, standing to take it over to Resm. "Good reading, I take it?" Ursula glanced at the journal. "You've been glued to it since you sat down. I don't need you to forget to eat, alright?"

She rested the meal in front of him, soon with her own to enjoy. "Brings back memories, right?" 

Resm gave the woman a smile and went to pick up the food, finally setting her journal down. "It's a journal I found for sale in the White City. How this," he tapped on the worn leather cover, "made it all the way there, I'll never know. You can see why it has been preserved so well, though." Resm brought the journal back into his hands, eager to show Ursula. He made room for the woman to sit beside him on his bedroll, flipping open the cover to show her the single spot of dried blood resting there. "The shopkeep knew it was important, considering it never bent or shredded no matter what she tried. That's because of this single drop of blood. It's royal blood."

Resm flipped a few more pages in and showed Ursula the careful writing, an ancient language unspoken for the last thousand years...until now. "I'm glad she parted with it....this is my father's journal. Here's his name, and here, my mother's." Resm spoke their names softly in remembrance, smiling at the sound. "I've read it a hundred times, but I could still read it a hundred more." 

"Is it...some form of blood magic that kept it so preserved?" Ursula asked, a bit awed that it could have lasted for so long. The few journals she had kept from childhood were long since shredded, cheap paper falling out of a poorly glued spine. And before her was a journal that had lasted over a thousand years. Mythos never failed to impress her, but even that was strange for her. Unaware, she scooted closer to Resm, their bodies almost, but not quite, pressing together so she could get a look as well. "...it must have felt strange, finding something of his. But...good too."

She looked over the writing, nothing at all like the common trade language that ran throughout Mythos, and nothing at all like the dragon's script she had so painstakingly learned with her grandfather. Reaching out, she traced the words for a moment, before asking, "...would you ever consider teaching this? Finding a way to bring your people's language back, maybe."

"If there would be those willing to learn....There are a few cases where I would be willing to take students." Resm's ear twitched when she sat close, the man consciously making an effort not to lean closer. He could feel her warmth, even from here. "It's not so terribly different from the common tongue, verbally. But the writing..." Resm laughed at the thought. "Well, you see how it looks. There's a world of a difference." Resm flipped to the end of the journal and brought out a small charcoal stick, carefully etching his name onto the top of the page. Underneath it, he wrote what had to be Ursula's name. 

"Here. My name, Resm'iel Kuriane. And your name, Ursula. We don't have a sound quite like U, but if you combine these two marks, it creates a similar...oh." Stopping mid-sentence, Resm glanced to Ursula and laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just suddenly start a lesson." 

"Oh--no, Resm! I was enjoying it." She promised him quickly, her hand resting lightly against his thigh for just the briefest of moments. Ursula smiled up at him, warm as always. "You know, if you are willing to take on students...I wouldn't mind being one of them. It could pass the time on the road quickly too, you know? More engaging than a game of I Spy." Pulling her hand away, she looked again at his writing, ears flicked up, always a sign that she was pleased. "My name looks nice in your language. Yours looks very...official."

"But if you cover this part..." Carefully, so not to smudge the charcoal, she covered the "iel Kuriane" with her hand, leaving "Resm" to view. "There. I think that fits a man who used to chase after chickens for me." She chuckled quietly. "But I meant it. I would like to learn, if you'd like to teach."

Ah. Resm was very much losing his grip on the situation, the tipping point being Ursula pressing rather firmly on his thigh. "Y-yes that sounds, that sounds good, I think that would be a splendid way to pass time and exercise our minds on an otherwise dull trip perhaps to the point where we would be able to speak to each other in code if necessarily and certainly allow me the chance to try my hand at teaching yesthatsoundsgood." He spat that out so fast you might think he had bugs crawling in his pants, Resm quick to get up and slap down the journal where he had just been sitting. "I'mgoingtowashup."

And like that Resm was gone, both physically and mentally, the elf booking it to the nearby creek with towel in hand. He hardly ever lost his cool -- wonder what was up with him? All that there was left to do was wait for him to get back...leaving Ursula only to her own thoughts. 

Ursula looked at the swiftly disappearing elf, and back to her hand, hovering in the air where his thigh had been just a moment before. She snorted softly, tucking it back into her lap before she stood. Not knowing whether to feel disappointed or offended, she found a spot away from him to scrub at their bowls, the fire soon doused and the remaining food packed away. He had never shrugged off her touch before, but...she winced at herself. It wasn't exactly like she had been quite so familiar with him. It was a step too far, clearly, and she hated the thought that she made him uncomfortable. Sighing, Ursula called over to the creek, where he was likely still washing, "I'm going to bed, Resm. The road's fairly clear, we shouldn't need to hold watch."

Right. That matter settled, even if she still felt horribly awkward now, the half-dragon slipped into the tent, soon rolled over very firmly on her side. It was going to be a very, very long trip.

Resm was unfortunately feeling the same way, but for a very different reason. He had thought....Well, it had been a long, long time since Resm last felt anything close to physical attraction. And considering how that had just gone, Resm was made to wonder if he would survive a whole trip with her. Not that he minded these intimacies, but...Mother guide him. If Ursula kept it up he was bound to ask quietly where they stood. He was due to be Emperor soon, after all! The Emperor had to have his right-hand support. 

When he returned to the camp only to find Ursula asleep, Resm felt a little touch of relief and followed suit. Come morning, the awkwardness was a little more muted, but still present during the horse ride. They passed a few more landmarks, stopped to eat and drink, but otherwise kept things simple. It was when Resm started up a language game that the two started to fall into old times. Holding a struggling frog in one hand and Ursula's hand in the other, Resm was currently wheezing with laughter. "P-Pronounce it again! That was....Close, by the Mother, but.....Ursula, you must not call this poor frog an asshole!"

Ursula's face was dark with embarrassment at the mistake, her hand tightening in his. She stammered as she scolded him, "Well, don't squeeze the poor thing to death! God almighty." Her face felt as if it were on fire, her ears hot to the touch, as she tried again and again. The common language had been hard enough to learn from her native German, and the dead language...her head was feeling a little overcrowded at that point. She huffed, her free hand resting on her hip as she finally said it to his satisfaction, ears pinned back and lips pursed in a small pout. The expression was so foreign on her normally sweet face, and with her grey skin, she looked like a little storm cloud. "Oh, you can stop laughing now. Oh--there he goes..."

The frog had managed to squirm its way out of Resm's grip, launching itself to freedom with a grateful croak. Ursula watched it hop off, her grip still lingering in Resm's without her really noticing. "Alright, maybe time for a new word. I think we've hit just about all the nature-y words we can think of..."

Resm gave a small shake of his head, his laughter finally dying into a simpler smile. "No, I think that is enough exposure to my language for now." Resm squeezed her hand one last time, pressing his thumb instead against the defiant jut of her chin. "Defiance is a cute look for you, Ursula." It was a strange comment, surely, but Resm looked sincere when he said it....whatever it meant. But the touch, just like Resm's grip on the frog, was short-lived, and gone in an instant. At least his smile remained. 

"You should teach me a word or two of your own language. That way it is fair." It was a new suggestion, one he had thought of only last night. Ursula's take on the common tongue was good enough, but Resm knew that it was not her birth language, and honestly he wanted to know more about her. This was just one small step. "Please?" 

"Bitte, you mean. Not please." Ursula said after a moment's thought, the storm cloud breaking as she finally smiled. The request was--well, it felt sweet. And besides her twin, who...god, it had been so long since they spoke face to face, written letters just weren't the same--she didn't have someone to talk to in her own tongue. The realization struck that it must have been how he felt. No one around to give that taste of home, a stranger in a strange land. She shooed him over to the fire, where they could sit and relax. "I think...you would have an easier time learning my language, than me with yours." She was quick to add, "Not that I want to stop, of course."

She began him with quick introductions, how to say hello and goodbye, to identify himself in her language. The rules were simple, clear cut, and it was easy to see how the language shaped the woman before him. "--For title, I think--you would have to call yourself der Kaiser, instead of der König...emperor, instead of king." Ursula paused, tapping her finger against her lip, the memory of his touch still lingering, as she said, "Honestly, I just realized this might help you, if things come to a point where you can negotiate with the army..."

 

Resm was following along easily enough, his tattoos an intense light the entire time. And though Resm had the clear advantage of being able to memorize everything Ursula spoke, his tongue made clumsy work of reproducing it, which very obviously frustrated the elf more than anything. He thought it was fun to know -- but Ursula made a good point too. "I did not consider that, honestly. After what happened in the capital, I thought that neither side would be willing to speak with cool heads. It's...it should be an option, no matter how much I hate it." Resm made a face at the mere thought. 

"Regardless," Resm waved it off, seeing as that was another problem for another day, "thank you for sharing with me. We both have a good deal to learn. Ah, thank you, teacher." It was the best Resm's tongue could manage. The struggle he had to speak Ursula's language really spoke leagues for how much his magic helped him with most commonplace tasks. And though his tongue may be clumsy now, it sure wasn't with his home language. 

 

Clumsy or not, the attempt was charming. Ursula bit her lip, trying not to smile as he excused himself for a quick wash and then to bed. And after the ride they had, bed was a beautiful idea. Ursula fell into her bedroll, quick to grab her pillow to muffle her quiet laugh, so not to let him hear her. She didn't know what was wrong with her, finding that he either drove her to frustration or to smiles now, her heart tightening with every glance he paid her. Why now, of all times, when he was preparing to prove himself emperor? Instead of the days when they ran the farm together, where their footing was equal.

"Figures you want when you can't have." Ursula scolded herself quietly, sighing as she curled up in her bedroll. If it kept up, she was going to have to distance herself away, just a bit, for her own sake and his. There was no need for him to find out, she decided as she closed her eyes tight. 

At least Ursula knew what she was going through -- though her dreams didn't hesitate to confirm what feelings were bubbling inside. They had yet to discover Resm's homeland, nor had they found any evidence of his previous disposition in title and body. But Ursula had a good imagination, one that easily molded Resm into an image of his former self. He was tall, dark, with his white hair long and tossed back carelessly. His canines were a touch longer, and his eyes an even more intense color green. Were it not for the tattoos on his skin, it would be easy to write the borderline monster off as someone else entirely. But no, this Resm, and even though he looked different, he definitely still had a type.

The dream started off in a familiar scene, Ursula disguised as kitchen staff and hurrying about the castle with a tray of tarts. Only this time she was approaching Resm's private chambers, opening the doors to find nothing but a burning fireplace inside and a few lonely chairs. But the door closed quickly behind her by an unseen force -- one who towered over her. "You're late." If not for the growl in his throat, you would have thought the prince was whining about Ursula's tardiness. "Attend me." The elf walked past her to sit in front of the chair in front of the fireplace, splayed out over the arm rests as if he could not be bothered to act proper in the least. 

Where most would look silly, he looked like a panther -- dangerous, bored, and waiting. This was a completely different Resm. This Resm was impatiently patting on his thigh, in hopes Ursula would climb in his lap. "Come, Ursula." 

The voice of command was impossible to ignore, and Ursula found herself setting the tray of tarts aside, her feet already pulling her forward to the lounging prince. In the back of her mind, there was that small feeling that this was a scene that had been dreamt of before, forgotten upon waking, as it felt familiar. The thought was soon lost, however, as she fell into that dream as reality. She dropped a curtsy a few feet away, remembering her manners, before moving to climb into his lap, soon nestled against his body. 

So close to him, and already her heart squeezed tight, from want and desire. Resm'iel Kuriane wasn't a man to be denied, and there was little that she would--a reward in itself, in a way, when he knew exactly how to drive her to new heights of pleasure. A skill honed with others, but there wasn't much room for her to object. No one owned a prince, least of all his handmaiden. 

"Your tarts were taking longer to cook than usual." She explained, meeting those intense green eyes easily, even as she offered a contrite tone. "I didn't anticipate the fact, my prince." 

"Fool." Resm nipped her neck, hard, in punishment for her actions. "You know I do not care about the tarts. I wanted to see you, and you were late." Though his words contained thinly-veiled anger, his tone did not, the man sounding more disappointed than anything. He shifted her in his lap until she was pressed against his chest, their faces mere inches apart. He met her unceremoniously for a kiss, both hands anchoring Ursula against his body. When he finally let her breathe, Resm again made a disappointed sound. "The marks I left are fading...we must renew them, then." 

With a huff, Resm lifted her once more, the two of them finally sitting somewhat properly in the chair before the fireplace. "This is nice. But I need it gone. Undress, Ursula." Resm plucked at her uniform with a frown. "You desire me, do you not? Then hurry up."

She ducked her head, biting her lip so he couldn't see the way she wanted to smile. So mercurial and demanding. Her hands worked quickly against the buttons of her uniform, the top shoved aside and the skirts tumbling around her hips. Before too long, she was bare in his lap, shaking loose the auburn curls with a deep breath. Pushing herself up, she greeted his lips for another kiss, slow and sensual, and murmured, "You know I desire you, Resm'iel. That can't surprise you, when half the city does." 

Ursula allowed herself to settle in his lap once more, guiding his hands to rest along her hips. The sting in her neck had evened out, but more would follow that night. "I feel like you'd mark me permanently, if I let you..." 

"Of course I would." He sounded firm in that, letting his mouth trail across her body as Ursula spoke. "The castle knows you are mine and mine alone, but what of the outside? They will be informed, one way or another." Something about this path in conversation seemed to make Resm nervous, though, so he gently scraped his teeth against Ursula's nipple to quiet her for a moment. Almost reverently, Resm continued his path down her heavy breast, marking the tops of her ribs and eventually her stomach with harsher bites. Somehow through all of this Resm's crown managed to stay atop his head. Before he went lower on Ursula, however, he placed it on her head and gripped her hair. 

Ursula was, effectively, trapped between Resm's hands, one on her hip and the other cradling the back of her head. Resm bit another mark on her hip bone before glancing up, panting lightly as if it was he who was receiving the attention. "Get in bed." His grip loosened just a touch, allowing the woman the choice to squirm away. 

Ursula took a moment to respond, lost more in the sense of his touch, each sharp nip and bite leaving her to jerk and twitch in his grip, a harsh breath escaping her now and then. All of it sent a rush of heat through her, awkward little shifts against his leg as she felt herself grow wet, and doing her best not to simply rut against his thigh. Such a need for his touch, and she couldn't understand why. She pushed herself off his lap, mindful of the oddly heavy weight on her head. "Oh, you'd let me leave the castle?" She teased, glancing over her shoulder as she sank into the bed. "I wouldn't be able to come when you called."

Kneeling into the soft bed, she raised her hands to adjust the crown, ears flicking at the soft footsteps from behind her. Away from his hands, she allowed herself a deep breath while she caught her reflection in a nearby mirror. The crown sat easily on her head, Resm at the side of the bed behind her. She said softly, "Don't keep me waiting."

"Mm." Resm rested one hand on the bed and kissed the back of her neck, smiling at her choice of defiance. "I think you'll find you still cum when requested." He wasn't one to keep a beautiful woman waiting -- and the sight of Ursula waiting on the bed made Resm's hands hurry all the more as he stripped himself bare. Normally he would have Ursula do it, as it was her job, but today he was too impatient. This was a dream, after all, and the good bits had better not be interrupted just because dream Resm was too slow getting his trousers off. 

Ursula's imagination was certainly...generous, that was obvious enough by what all Resm had to offer. His tattoos really did cover every inch of him, missing information filled in by Ursula's curiosity, and all faintly glowing in the darkness of the bedroom. And that dark patch of hair that dipped between his hips, caught only in glimpses when Resm took off his shirt, led down to a cock befit of royalty. This Resm, instead of shying away from Ursula, came to her eagerly, settling against the pillows and drawing her close. "Do you have a request for your prince?" He asked softly, lips on her's and his cock settled between her trembling thighs. "...I might listen, if you allow me a request as well." 

"Oh, might? Generous." Ursula hummed, content in his arms, her head soon tucked against his chest. She shifted her hips, his cock catching along her lower hips, a heavy weight between her thighs. "...let me ride you, someday." Ursula nipped at his neck, always mindful not to leave marks, her claws scratching lightly against his muscled stomach. "I want to see you under me." An image pulled from other dreams from lonely nights, if not necessarily with Resm himself. She wanted him under her, to let her fuck herself along his cock, tits bouncing and thighs clamped hard around his waist. He could just lay back and enjoy the show, a chance to not have to work so much--well. Maybe not this prince, but another. Ursula pinned his cock against his flat stomach and her cunt, rubbing along its length. "You always top. You could learn to relax, give the reins to someone else."

She smiled. "Or do you need that control?"

Her dream prince looked almost grumpy at the implication. Resm caught her lips for a kiss, breath hitching quickly as his cock hardened under her rolling hips. "I do. But not everyone does." Hands on her waist, Resm flipped the both of them so that he was, again, on top. He caught her for another kiss before laying her on her stomach, laying at an upward angle against the pillows piled against the headboard. Pressed together perfectly, skin on skin, Resm thrust inside, their union met with a low growl of pleasure. He started slow, one hand on the headboard and the other keeping Ursula pinned beneath him. All that could be heard between them was Resm's low groans and the wet slap of their fucking. 

Even for a dream, it felt wondrously real, Resm's hands strong and his movements fluid. It wasn't long before Resm had them both moving at a frantic pace, his cock catching that magical spot over, and over, and over. 

Ursula bit back her cry, back arching and her thighs tightening around him. Too much, too quick, and over too soon--her peak crashed over, hard and intense. The crown askew, sweat beading along her heavy breasts, her cheeks flushed, she was a well-fucked mess, chest rising and falling in rapid breaths. She dragged him down for a searing kiss, claws tangling into the white hair and tightening with every thrust, she whispered, "Don't--please don't stop, I need this--I need you--"

The moment he stopped, she just knew the dream would fade away to darkness, leaving her to wake up next to an impossible confession to the man beside her. She shivered under the prince, burying her face into the crook of his neck, that pleasure mounting once more. "R-Resm..."

"P-please, Ursula...I-I'm so cl-close...!" Her emperor begged, his body arched above her, working both himself and his lover to their last peak. He let Ursula drown at his moans into kisses, lost to the pleasure and clutched tight to Ursula as he fucked her again and again. They were twisted together into one perfect piece, moving with a practice perfection as the end quickly approached. A few more thrusts and the elf broke, swearing out her name as he spilled inside. Their silence was broken a moment later by a quiet laugh, Resm finally lifting himself off Ursula, just enough to turn and look into her eyes. Only this Resm was skinnier, more true to life, and had love burning in his eyes. He met her for a kiss and murmured between his smile, saying, "Ursula, I love you...!"

Ursula had to blink back the sudden tears, laughing as she pulled him close, loathe to let him go. "And I love--"

"--you." She breathed, flinching awake. The tent was still dark, crickets chirping quietly outside as she sat up slowly. The damp in the air suggested it was early morning, the sun having yet to rise. Ursula winced, rubbing the sleep from her face, and daring to glance at the man still asleep beside her. All sprawled out and snoring softly, something she knew he'd furiously deny. The last shreds of the dream faded now that she was awake, the woman sighing as she watched him sleep, for just a moment. 

"...what am I going to do with myself, Resm?" She whispered, so not to wake him. Reaching over, Ursula tugged the blanket back over him, long since kicked off somewhere in the night, before she laid back down once more. It had been a good dream, at least. Just--a bit awkward, she realized with a small groan, rubbing her thighs together. No privacy to take care of that little issue, always lovely. Curling up tight, her back to his, she allowed herself to sink into sleep once more, restless and ready for the morning to begin.

Come morning, Resm was the first awake, as usual. He had taken care to not wake Ursula just let, allowing the very tired-looking woman a few more minutes of sleep. He poked their dead fire back to life and spoke quietly with Arc, turning only when he heard Ursula rousing. Though he tried to disconnect, Arc demanded that he allow the two women to speak, so he left the crystal waiting outside their tent for whenever Ursula decided to roll out of bed. In turn, he started their very simple breakfast and fed the horses.

When Ursula finally got to the crystal, Arc was quick to ask how the trip was going. "I hadn't heard from either of you for so long I feared the worst." Arc's voice scolded from the other side of Mythos. "You should be nearing the ruins by dusk...I hope everything is going as planned?" 

 

 

Queer 

 

"Everything's fine, Arc, I swear." Ursula said, trying to soothe any ruffled feathers. "We've just been so busy with the road, it...sort of slipped our mind that we should check in now and then. We haven't ran into any trouble at all, and the further we go out, the quieter it gets." She smiled, rubbing the back of her neck. As much as Arc scolded her for not sending some sort of message, it felt good to hear her through the crystal. "Everything is going fine. I don't miss sleeping in tents though, I'm kind of hoping when we get to the ruins, there's some kind of bed situation. I forgot the joys of waking with rocks digging into your back."

"Any news on the baby front?" She asked, gently steering the conversation from their welfare. Arc had a way of digging into things, even when assured they were going fine, something Ursula suspected was her own fault, thanks to her earlier lies. "And the council is behaving itself, right?"

"...For the time being, the council is quiet. There are rumors swelling, but that is for Resm to make heads or tails of. It's stupid, irregardless." Arc didn't sound pleased with the way things were progressing in the Iron City, but refused to say anything more on it. She was, however, more than happy to talk about the baby growing within her. "If things are truly going well on your front, well, I don't mind talking a little about the babe. They're fussy, that's for sure. But I'm thinking...I want Ben to know, however he may take it." This was a touchy subject for Arc -- it was good to hear she had finally come to a decision.

"Damn man just made it impossible to reach him unless you're the fucking Emperor of Mythos. So it will have to wait, for some time...however long that may be." Arc paused for a moment, something making her quiet. 

"...I've been to those ruins, Ursula." The tone suddenly dropped, a serious atmosphere near clouding over the crystal in Ursula's hand. "Not everything there is dead. When you reach that place, promise me you will have a weapon in hand." 

"Do you mean wild beasts, or..." Ursula's voice trailed off, the warning in her friend's voice ringing alarm bells in her head. She fell quiet for a moment, trying to imagine just what would cause Arcana such concern. For a moment, she wished they were back on baby watch, instead of the turn they had taken. "I wasn't going to go blindly in, but...it's a dead city, Arc. It can't be that dangerous. And I've got Resm here, he probably knows the place like the back of his hand." She picked at a loose thread on her tunic, not quite looking at the crystal, as though it were Arc's stern eyes. "I promise I'll have a weapon on hand."

"I mean that those ruins are restless. I never saw with my own eyes what lurked in the shadows, but watch your back. Understood?" Arc sighed softly from the other side of her crystal. "I hate being here, not helping with you both. When did you take my spot at Resm's side, eh?" She didn't sound mad, just nostalgic, as if this meant the end of adventuring for Arcana Coldiron. As if. "I need you to come back and help me with this babe, Ursula. So stay safe." With that, Arc said her goodbye and disconnected their crystals.

Resm approached once Arc was gone, his long ears twitching. He wasn't used to Arc sounding so....glum. Being pregnant and alone had to be hard, but he knew they would return to her soon, if as different people. Resm's gaze trailed off to the deep forest still ahead of them, the greens in nature near as deep as his eye color. "We should return to the road. Will you be ready soon?"

"Yes, let me just pack up a few things, and we can go." Ursula said, standing so she could pass him the crystal. Better he hold onto it than her. Arc's words still weighing heavily in her mind, she made a point of slipping the shortsword's sheath along her belt, before mounting her horse. Taking a deep breath, she looked to the path they would take to the city. "Right! We'll be there by nightfall, we can find a proper place to camp...and start the search for proof by morning?" 

She glanced over to him for confirmation, smiling slightly. "After you?"

Resm gave Ursula a nod and a smile, the two of them back on the road within minutes. At the head was Resm, his horse Champion snorting with each new scent that hit his long snout. There was probably a story behind his stallion, Champion, but it would have to wait another day because Resm was more speak of Ursula. After an hour in, he slowed Champion down and settled next to his traveling partner, asking softly, "Were you visited by a nightmare last night? I...I heard you moving about last night. It sounded terrifying." 

On his face was only concern -- it was evident the noises he heard from Ursula sounded more terrified than aroused, which was probably for the best. Groans of displeasure sounded so very similar to groans of pleasure. "If something is bothering you...?"

"Oh. Uh." Ursula stumbled over her words. God, not the conversation she was willing to have at that moment. She offered up a silent prayer for his misinterpretation of her noises, still cursing herself for even making them in the first place. "Nothing's bothering me, Resm, I promise. The ground under our sleeping rolls was...pretty bumpy, you know? I probably just couldn't get comfortable last night." She gave him a small smile. "If anything was bothering me, I'd let you know."

 

It wouldn't let me export the file as a pdf so blah. 

 

Touching though his concern was, it was thankfully misplaced. She hoped her explanation warded off any future probing, until he eventually forgot the matter entirely. Confessing she had a very racy dream about him would likely not go over well. "It's been an easy journey, I'm with someone whose company I enjoy, and it's a nice day out. I'd be stumped to find something to be bothered by, if I'm honest."

Resm looked less worried now, honestly, a smile soon blooming on his face. "Oh, I am glad! I know this trip is hardly pleasant, but I hope the end result will be something you can enjoy, as well." Though just imagine if Ursula had confession the source of her problems. They'd be having a very different kind of journey if that were the case. Resm might even have a few dreams to share, as well. For what it was, though, the both were going to have to leave it at that. Though Ursula was a fool if she thought Resm forgot anything, those glowing tattoos ever the reminder. 

With that settled, they continued on until dusk settled over Mythos. The tall peaks of the Kuriane ruins could be seen just so against the sunset. The sight seemed to upset Resm just a bit, his ears ever twitching once they settled down for the night. His eyes strayed from the ruins only when Ursula handed him dinner. "Are you wanting to go into the castle, Ursula? I ask only because there may be...well, the castle is sure to be full of corpses." 

"Er. Let's not go in tonight." Ursula said carefully. An ancient ruin in the dark, with the dead all around them...the thought sent a shiver down her spine. No, she would rather tackle that in the daylight, with the knowledge that anything moving in a shadow was not some ghoulish creature rising from the dead to kill her. Or something. Either way, she planted herself firmly on the ground, meal in hand and weapon close by. "Tomorrow we can make an early start, with the sunrise. We won't get much done in the dark, and torches don't show you everything. Or magic lights."

She picked at the hard-wearing rations, frowning a bit. "...so, when you first came here. Is there anything I need to know? There's not much in that castle that can give us trouble, by my guess, but you were actually here, not me..."

"The first time I came, I could not bear to even travel inside the city limits. The second time, just recently, I talked myself into facing the truth...if not all of it." Resm didn't sound proud of that, and reasonably so -- there was still a lot of his past he wasn't willing to come to terms with. "I walked through the ashen streets, but the castle mocked me with its spotless splendor. I told myself that it was for the best I never delve back inside that cursed place. But there is nothing to trouble us inside, Ursula." Resm was firm in that, his eyes bright with confidence, rarely seen in the lanky elf. 

There was a reason for his confidence, though, as he clarified, "Arc explored the castle when she brought me here to lift my curse -- if there was anything worth fighting, she would have long slain it." Though judging from Arc's conversation with Ursula, that wasn't the case at all. "Or at least mentioned it, I would think..."

"I'm sure it will be fine then." Ursula reassured him, not wanting to see that confidence fade just yet. He had enough to worry about, as it was, and whatever they came across...well, she could at least hope Arc's training prepared her for whatever was inside. Her hand brushed against her sword for her own confidence's sake, the half-dragon taking a small breath to steady her nerves. "Even so, I'd rather wait until morning to explore. With how well things have been going, we're bound to run into some bad luck."

She laughed. "How awful would it be, hm? To come all this way and somehow...I don't know, trip down the stairs in the dark and break our necks. But whatever's inside for you to face, you're not alone."

"And that reassures me more than any weapon by my side or lantern in hand." Resm answered with a soft laugh, turning himself back towards the warmth of the fire. "We should get to sleep, then." And after a rather peaceful night of sleep, the two rose to tackle the lost kingdom of Kuriane. There were plenty of reasons why the kingdom had gone untouched for so long; it was isolated, it was rumored to be cursed, and perhaps most important, it was guarded by mighty heragons. But those excused died one by one...travel was simpler now, the rumors slowly became old news, and the heragons lay extinct, their enormous bones sold in the black market to this day. Still, the kingdom remained a legend, breached only by those who knew to find it. 

They passed over the top of the hill and stopped to take in the look of the kingdom laying at the bottom of the valley -- hardly any of the original buildings were left untouched by plant and fauna. It was really the castle that pinpointed the city's location, the great hulking stone pristine thanks to ancient blood magic. Resm heaved a sigh as he took it all in, but said nothing as they slowly descended down into the valley. Here they went. The streets, once cobblestone, had long been uprooted by stubborn tree roots. The houses, once twisting spires that ached towards the sky, were now cracked in half or covered in moss, strange holes peeking out onto the roads still, as if someone might pop their head through and say hello.

But perhaps the strangest thing was that no animals lived in the valley. No birds sang, no animals growled, it was...quiet. Mournful, almost. And here and there, were plants made entirely of silver. Resm knew the path to the castle by heart all the same, the fauna doing nothing to throw him offtrack. They stopped every so often to let Ursula sightsee, but otherwise it was a straight shot to the castle. There was an abrupt cut in the fauna once it reached the castle's stairs -- nothing touched the stone but a few fallen leaves. It stood in huge, open domes, with spirals on top like the houses below, but this castle was dipped in silver, and shone bright even in the morning sun. "Here we are." Resm took a deep breath and glanced at Ursula. "Can you feel the thrum of magic? It's almost like the North."

It was hard denying the smell of ozone that filled the air, as Ursula nodded. It wasn't quite as intense, however--the North had been a sudden build-up, whereas this felt more like something that had settled over the centuries, still present, but not quite as explosive, so to speak. More impressive than that was the castle itself. Like something out of a book of fairy tales. Ursula laughed quietly, the sound echoing through the eerie kingdom, as she said, "...Before I came to Mythos, we had a storybook that had illustrations. There was a castle that looked almost exactly like this." She stared upwards, only moving forward when she realized that she couldn't just stand in place. "The real thing is so, so much more amazing..."

"I honestly can't believe a place like this was left standing." Ursula admitted, the further in they continued. "We have ruins back home, but they're...nothing like this. People would steal stones and bricks from ruins nearby to build things like fences, or wells, and little by little they'd disappear. But this...it's untouched, isn't it?"

"The magic we feel is a family's worth of bloodmagic." Resm touched his hand to the stone, his tattoos instantly illuminating in an explosion of colors. The castle still recognized it's prince, or so it seemed. Resm smiled at the sight and continued on, one hand touching the wall as they approached the door. "There is as much blood seeped into this stone as there is stone itself. This spell would take even myself years of nonstop attempts to break it, and then...Nothing in this area would be able to survive the aftershocks." Resm stopped before the front doors, tugging gently on the handle. It slid open, smooth as hot butter, to let them inside. The open corridors were bathed in soft morning light, inviting to the unknowing traveler. Resm swallowed at the sight of a hand on the floor a few feet ahead, just barely peeking from the doorway. Their first glimpse of a corpse.

"With so much exposure to this magic, it would have driven any lesser person insane. That is why it was imperative to let the magic have a bit of room to escape, or to make sure you do not remain within the halls for more than a week's time." Resm slowly stepped inside, wishing for more than anything the sour smell of death. But no, it was still fresh, as if they had suddenly traveled back a thousand years. "For the dead....there is no greater suffering for these people." He approached the first corpse and turned into the doorway, staring down at the young woman. A maid, by the look of it, crumbled in on herself. Even in her position, her size was unmistaken -- just as Resm said, she was near 7 feet tall, skin dark as night, with silver veins along her skin. 

"An unusual plague." Resm murmured, his expression hard to decipher. "Silver infected first their outward appearance and then burrowed inside, hardening their organs until you are eventually suffocated. Take care not to to touch them, Ursula, though this disease, too, is frozen in time." 

Ursula tucked her hand against her mouth, breathing through the fabric of her sleeve. The plague he described sounded like something that would leave the afflicted in agony, and she didn't linger beside the corpse, uneasy that it was still so fresh after centuries. A family's worth of blood magic sounded ominous. She kept close to his side, her free hand against the hilt of her sword, as she said quietly, "I don't suppose...someday, they could be buried. It seems awful, just to leave them like this."

Admittedly, she couldn't guess what would happen if the corpses left the boundaries of what magic kept them preserved, but it wasn't right. Leaving the dead where they fell made the place seem more a battlefield than anything else, and Mythos had plenty of those as it was, new and old. A morbid thought left her to count each corpse they came across, mostly of servants and guards--her heart broke to see small forms tucked away in hallway corners, hidden under furniture, as she said softly, "It took everyone, didn't it."

"Until there was no one left." Resm paused outside one particular archway, still as the corpses while he took in the sight of a circle of women, all sitting together. Each had a babe clinging to her breast....Resm felt like he couldn't breathe. He turned away quickly, one hand to his mouth, and closed his eyes. But his magic had already recorded the sight, burned it into his mind. Fuck. Resm continued on only after he had calmed himself, blinking tears away as they continued on. The stench of magic got stronger the closer they got to the throne room, so strong Resm thought he was going to be sick. 

 

Mlem 

 

Noticing his room was closed off, Resm took them both over to the door, the two of them able to pry it open with little issue. It seemed...untouched inside, Resm's things lying as if they had always been there, untouched. He crossed through the winding passage until he reached the small entertaining room that was attached to his quarters, a portrait as tall as him hanging above the silk cushions. Here was one small area where no corpses lay. It was a family portrait, painted when Resm was in his early twenties. He looked much as he described earlier -- big, bulky, with a powerful frown that screamed 'haughty' and a bored expression to match. The others surrounding him looked similar in many ways, but different too, each with their own quirks and different aspect of beauty. 

"My mother." Resm croaked after a moment, tears streaming down his face. "She was the backbone of Kuriane...and when she passed, my father fell into misery. He could not sit on the throne when she was not there beside him, he said. So he told us it was time to take our place. We were to prove ourselves worthy of the throne." Resm as he was now took more after his mother, with high cheekbones and slanted eyes. When there was more flesh to him, it was easy to see the King's presence, as well. "My father loved to play war...I was always his favorite. His Inkling prince. My brothers knew they had no chance, though..."

"...that night I planned to revoke myself." Resm raised his hands to his two brothers, as if they would reach from the oil and grasp his hand. "I never wanted to rule, even as a hot-headed youth."

"I'm sorry." Ursula could only manage. The words felt trite and hollow in the face of the long dead royalty, and the corpse-filled castle. Her chest squeezed as she looked to the elf, the desire to reach up and wipe away those tears fierce. Instead, she fumbled in her pockets, before pulling out an embroidered handkerchief, something she was guaranteed to keep on her at all times. She took his hand, pressing the soft cloth into it, as she said quietly, "...And if they had known, then you would not be in this position today. Here, dry your eyes."

She looked back at the portrait, a small frown along her face. Such a stark difference between the man portrayed and the one beside her. She found herself stepping closer to his side, their hands brushing against each other. Now face to face with the man he was, she found she preferred the lankier Resm, his expression more to gentle smiles than haughty looks. "You look so much like her now."

Resm took her hand in desperation, wiping the tears from his face as best he could. "Do I? I...I only hope I can be a small part of the great ruler she was." After a moment, Resm finally let Ursula's hand loose, turning away from the portrait before he got reduced to sobbing again. The portrait was too big to take back, and there was nothing else useful in the room, so the two continued on into the throne room. Wide, empty floors stretched on, big enough to fill any entire village of people, with a dias at the end that held two thrones. In one slumped an old giant, the crown on his head eerily similar to the one waiting for Resm in the Iron City. "Brother...!" Resm rushed to stand before the ancient throne, shocked to see how terribly his brother had aged.

He turned quickly, spotting another man on the eastern side of the room. "They died here together...?" Resm turned to look at the rest of the nobles, stunned by the sight of one woman in particular sitting alongside the dias. He knelt before her, careful not to touch her skin as his eyes traced over her. Curled in her lap was a small child perhaps 2 or 3 years of age, and though Resm thought it wasn't possible, he still thought... "This is Duran, my wife to be." Resm spoke quietly, as if he was afraid to wake her. "..I was not as kind to her as I should have been. I hope she was happy." 

Resm turned to Ursula, finally standing and stepping away from his fiance. Well, Resm certainly had a type -- Duran was the stockiest woman in the court. "They must have gathered here for their last moments, knowing what would come."

It was an eerie tableau. Ursula looked around the throne room, silent as she took it all in. Each corpse looked fresh, fallen as if just a moment before. If brave enough to touch one, she imagined the skin would be only just cooling off, the muscles still soft and supple. She curbed that morbid desire, instead choosing to explore the room, carefully stepping around each fallen corpse. "This looks like an entire court."

"Which...would be documented somewhere." She said carefully. "Visitors' logs, anything. Could we find a record hall, or...? Anything, we could use it to prove your bloodlines, something."

Ah. Of all the things to forget....Resm snapped out of his melancholy just long enough to look over at the throne. With renewed purpose he stood before his eldest brother, eyes trailing down to the clenched fist resting on his thigh. Had it not been the peek of a crystal out of his grasp, Resm would have never dared touch one. But with this moment -- Resm leaned down and pried open the fist, a small red crystal resting between his forefinger and his thumb. "This may be all we need." 

Resm returned to the center of the room and ushered Ursula close. Once they were standing hip to hip, Resm pricked the crystal with his thumb and let blood trickle over the crystal and onto the floor. It lit instantly, bathing the room in a soft white light before reverting back. Resm had to only blink a few times before his eyes adjusted to the projected image that covered the whole room. Magic spun images of the past and brought them to life -- turning their court full of the dead into a bustling, happier place. 

 

Mlem pt 2

 

There was even sound too, the voices filling the chamber with ancient tongue. Resm turned his head this way and that, to catch each word, his tattoos glowing as bright as the crystal in his hand. Though the room was alive with chatter, everyone was sitting where they currently lay, dead. This had to be a crystal showing their final days. Resm was about to turn off the projection when his brother spoke. He turned immediately, eyes alight with surprise. "He's speaking to me." 

Resm approached the throne and stood there, dumbfounded, as his brother softly spoke to him. "He thought I would come back." Resm closed his eyes as he drank in each and every word, amazement coloring his voice. "...oh." Resm abruptly cut the magic off, turning to Ursula. "There's a recording of my imprisonment, in his chambers." 

"He...recorded that?" Ursula said in disbelief. The magic had been almost too much, like stepping into that moment. She wished, for a moment, that she could have asked him to translate all that was said, but with that renewed purpose in his eyes, she set that aside. A lesson in a dead language could wait another time. And--now the man was moving, determined to find that recording, as she soon followed after him quickly. "Why would he record that? It's...a bit morbid, isn't it?"

Then again, what little he told of his brothers...to go so far as to find a witch to curse him, she could easily see that same person recording that moment, to played back at ease, forever and ever. But to think he would come back, begged plenty of questions. "Resm, you don't think...he'd guess the curse would be lifted someday?"

"I would never guess their rationale for killing of kin. It is the worst sin imaginable, for our people," Resm shoved his way into the King's quarters and tore apart the room in search of the crystal. He found it, finally, sitting beside a small ring on the bureau. "...it's still warm." 

 

Taking the crystal in hand, it took every ounce of willpower the prince had to activate the magic. As soon as his blood soaked the crystal, it came to life, painting the bedroom in a dark atmosphere. The throne room was illuminated only by a spare torch, here and there, the light barely enough to see a circle of witches and the eldest brother. Resm watched from the sidelines, moving only slightly when his past self was dragged into the room and thrown into the circle of witches.

Resm’iel looked as if he had been drugged and beaten, foam leaking from his gasping mouth and one eye swollen shut. All the same, the prince knew nothing of fear, demanding as he growled, “Brother! Father is not yet cold in his grave and already you treat me like filth!” Those green eyes were accusing, but scared too, the prince unsure what to make of his brother’s sudden change in demeanor. “Unchain me at once!”

Resmi’el rolled to his back and sat up, the chains around his wrists suddenly visible. They had stripped Resm of all his clothing but a wee loincloth, and chained him like an animal. Even his body knew things were dangerous, tattoos glowing and flashing furiously as Resm took in the sight of the witches. “Brother?”

It was then the second brother stepped from the shadows. In his hands was the family’s heirloom: Excalibur. The sword was a familiar sight to all, and a timeless relic of the Kuriane family. Like the castle, it too was steeped in a family’s worth of blood. And little did Resm know, it would act as his prison for the next thousand years. “We cannot have you take the throne, Resm’iel.” The second brother said, his shaky voice betraying his wavering will. “It must go to Tor’qu. He will make our kingdom strong…you would lead us to ruin.”

The words alone were like a knife to his gut – the Resm on the floor tried to stand to his feet only to be knocked down and restrained by a witch’s magic. Gasping for air, Resm tried to plead for his life only to find the air stolen from his lungs.

“Do as you were hired.” Tor’qu said softly. Yual’to stepped forward and presented one of the witches with Excalibur. She gripped the sword and held it before her; instantly the other witches snapped to attention and closed the circle around Resm. It was hard to see what was happening to the prince – at this point they could only hear his screams

Then one of the witches started to jerk about, controlled by an unforeseen force. It became apparent quickly that the witch’s body was expanding underneath her cloak – and she cried for help just as her body burst apart. The other witches did not stop their chant, closing in the circle where each following witch fell. Nine witches lay dead while only four remained, chanting with increasing fever until Resm finally stood and broke through their ranks.

At that moment, he did look like an animal – drenched in blood and guts, yelling as he ripped one witch’s arm off in a swoop. For his burst of power, though, Resm still stood no chance. As he wrapped his hands around a witch’s neck, Tor’qu grabbed Excalibur and ran his brother through. The room fell into silence, Resm frozen in place with the family sword sticking through his chest. The sole remaining witch took hold of the hilt and pulled it out – Resm’s body turned to absolute black and was gone, disappearing into the blade of the sword.

“It is done.” In the room were twelve dead witches and a pool of blood, the sight so horrific even Yual’to had turned away. “Long live King Tor’qu.” 

 

"Turn it off." Ursula's voice broke through the silence, sharp and commanding. "Resm, turn it off, now."

There was an arm around his waist, the smaller body pressed at his side as Ursula's hand wrapped around the crystal, lifting it from his hands when he didn't immediately react. She was a solid presence, tugging him back to the present as the images drifted off, blinked away like the morning of a bad dream. As tall as he was, that didn't stop her from wrapping her arms around his neck, tugging him down for a tight hug. Words felt impossible in the face of such a recording like that, but she didn't have to guess how difficult that had to have been to witness for the second time. Her arms tightened around him, her soft hair tickling at his neck, but she didn't yet let go, uncertain if she even should. 

The castle was proving to be much more complicated to handle than she ever thought.

It took Resm a long while to speak, and even longer to shakily wrap his arms around Ursula's tense body. "...I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen that." Resm hugged her tighter, his body shaking just so as sobs started to tear their way through him. He pressed his face into the top of her head, refusing to let go, letting him be selfish just once, as he clutched Ursula like the lifeline she was. The crystal fell to the ground and was quickly crushed in their shuffle to get close, the dust scattering across the bedroom floor in tiny red pieces. 

When Resm was finally able to cease his tears, he stood straight and took a deep breath. His face was streaked with wet tear-trails, as if the absolute look of defeat in his eyes wasn't bad enough. The castle was proving to be much more complicated to handle than either of them ever thought. Resm hadn't known who had killed him, in those last moments. Where rage would bubble in others, Resm felt only despair, but he couldn't hold onto Ursula forever. Though he wanted nothing more. 

"I need a moment, Ursula." He finally said. "I just need to...understand, to....think." 

She pulled away after a moment of hesitation, as if worried letting him go would let him crumble. "...if you'd like." Ursula took a deep breath, partly to steady herself as she stepped back. "If it's alright, I just want to look around for a bit. I won't be far if you need me." 

Stepping out of his brother's room was difficult, but if he needed that time alone, so be it. She shoved her hands into her coat pockets, leaning against the hallway's walls, her eyes closed as she sucked in a deep breath. It was growing hard to ignore the tremble in her hands--it had seemed so real. Leaving him alone after that...it felt wrong. Ursula forced herself to walk from the room, trying not to note the stray body here and there, and began to poke around. Resm had said the portrait was too large to bring back, but royalty tended to leave its mark everywhere. She doubted that would be the only surviving piece of artwork depicting the family

They had spent so much time at the castle that it was starting to grow dark now -- the setting sun leaving parts of the building cast in shadow. It was creepy certainly, but there were still candles and lanterns strewn about to light if necessary. The oil still good, the lights left the castle feeling a little less spooky and a little more homey, like a great cavern with glittering crystals on the ceiling. It would be pretty, if not for the occasional dead person. Though they were getting easier for Ursula to avoid, now that she knew where they lay. 

It was not the throne room, nor any of the massive waiting lounging areas where Ursula found her answer, but actually the dining hall. For a castle, it was rather informal, and small at that, with more ornamental pillows as seen in previous rooms for one to sit on. At the "head" of the table where the fanciest pillow rested, was a long spear, something so large only someone of Resm's ancient size could have used efficiently. When Ursula went to pick it up, a voice called out, asking, "What are you doing?"

That voice did not belong to Resm.

In the kitchen doorway stood one of the corpses, her eyes wide at the sight of a stranger. This was the woman Resm had identified as his wife-to-be. "You are not worthy to touch that!" 

Ursula froze, half-bent over, her fingers just barely brushing against the shaft of the spear. There was no mistaking the woman, and she honestly wish that she could. Slowly, not taking her eyes off the other woman--solid, very solid, there was no ghostly quality about her--she straightened up. Duran, that was what Resm had called her. Keeping the sense of unreality and panic clamped down, Ursula twisted the spear in her hands. "I'm only taking a look. Shouldn't you be somewhere else?"

Dead, in the throne room, with a child in her arms. Ursula bit back the wave of nausea, her fingers tightening around the shaft of the spear, but she kept her voice calm, as much as she wanted to scream. How the hell was the woman there? Magic, from the castle? Arc's words sprung up unbidden, of strange things beyond corpses in the castle, and she found herself lowering the spear, as unwieldy as it was for someone of her height. She wouldn't be caught unprepared by something not fully dead. "Duran?"

The fact that this stranger knew her name startled Duran more than anything. "You know my name? You know our language?" Those crash courses from Resm sure paid off, because every word coming out of her mouth was in the ancient tongue. "You are the most bizarre thief we have ever had." It might have been a small blessing that Duran was more perplexed than mad, seeing was Ursula was doing the one thing she was requested not to do. Footsteps sounded behind Ursula, then from all around, more corpses coming in to get a look at the so-called thief. Laughter sounded from the throne room -- the very castle, filled with corpses, was coming back to life.

Ursula was currently surrounded by a crowd of giant blood elves back from the grave. Lovely. 

 

 

Here

 

 

Resm's yell from the other room wasn't reassuring either. Duran looked up at the sound, just as startled as Ursula, and the group followed as she ran to investigate. An impaled reanimated corpse waddled out from the bedroom with a Resm chasing after, the exiled prince stopping only when he saw how many remained. "Ursula?" 

"Oh, good." Ursula said, a weak laugh stuttering out. Surrounded by undead giant elves was leaving her feeling just the slightest bit off. "It's not just me seeing all...this." She indicated the crowd behind her, more than a little unnerving to have where she couldn't yet see. All she knew was that with every movement one of the elves made, her skin crawled, the urge to run always at the back of her mind. "Have you had your moment? I think--it's well past time to get out of the castle, immediately, now?"

She was babbling and she knew it, but what else could she do in the face of the dead rising, as if nothing was amiss? Ursula sidled to him as quickly and unobtrusively as she could, hand at the hilt of her short sword as she muttered, "You know, when we see Arc, I'm going to have to remind her the benefits of speaking plainly..."

"I wouldn't guess this was what she was referencing." Resm pulled Ursula close to him to keep her away from these strangers, though his tattoos glowed softly as his eyes traced everyone's faces. After a moment, the crowd started to lose their shit, finally recognizing who stood before them. "It's the prince!" "Resm'iel? Truly!" "But he was--" "He's returned, just like they foretold!" The excitement of the small group huddled in the hallway reached all the way to the throne room. Resm and Ursula were grabbed up and practically carried back into the throne room, until they were dumped in front of the King that waited for them.

King Yual'to barely even stirred when Resm was thrown before him, the older man obviously blind and still close to death, even as an animated corpse. He blinked a few times before he sat up farther in his chair. "Who do you bring before me?"

"It's Prince Resm'iel, my liege!" An excited man announced, gesturing to the prince on the floor. The reaction was immediate, but obvious -- Yual'to flung himself up from his throne to cower behind it, his voice quivering from behind the stone, "Has he come to kill me?"

"You're already dead." Resm replied dryly. He shook off the other blood elves' hands and marched his way up to the throne. "Why are you still haunting this world?" 

"It's the magic! The magic of the castle, it's mixed with something foul and strange and strong, from the north!" Duran called to Resm, her babe back in her arms. "We come back, every night, to our diseased bodies, and die again come morning. It's been a cycle for........a year?" That seemed to be the general consensus from the group, most nodding and grumbling their agreement. 

Resm stopped mid-way up the stairs and frowned, turning back to Ursula. "A year." 

A genius wasn't needed to guess what that foulness from the North was. Ursula winced slightly, as though it were her fault. She wasn't a mage, she didn't know what the doorway would affect with the magic it leaked out, or the aftershock that came from her attempt at closing the door. Such a build up of magic had to go somewhere. That it could bring the dead back to life, over and over again for a year, was disquieting, and she couldn't help the sense of relief that she hadn't died from the intense exposure. 

Ursula stiffened suddenly, not wanting to be surrounded by the silver-veined elves. Dead or not, she much preferred the still versions compared to their livelier counterparts. It was easier to ignore they had died of plague, when a body could be dismissed. Talking, arguing, crying--they moved as if alive, and she wondered uneasily if that magic gave rise to the plague again. Her voice dropped, low and urgent. "Resm...their sickness. Are we still safe?"

Resm took a quick look about the room and sighed. Every single one of the elves present had some patch of silver on them, and many of those elves had just put their hands on both Ursula and Resm. If they were safe even entering the castle in the first place, they certainly weren't now. "Perhaps...when the magic is reset in the morning, so is the disease." He mumbled, looking nonplussed. However, Duran overhead them and snorted with disbelief.

"It could also mean leaving the castle would spread the plague anew. Not that it matters to the dead." The babe at her breast took that as a sign to start crying, a noise that startled both Resm and Duran. She hushed the child with a few bounces and coos, turning away from the noise of everything to calm the child. Resm watched until she was out of sight, his eyes trailing back to Ursula and upon catching her gaze, quickly turned away again. 

"We won't know anything until we wake in the morning." Resm ran a hand through his short locks and finished his march up to the throne, dragging his brother out from behind it. "You and I are going to have a nice talk in the meantime. Ursula -- you should find some peace in my bedroom. Do you remember how to get there?"

"I remember the way." Ursula promised, wondering quietly to herself. Was that regret in his eyes, as he looked at the now-gone Duran? She excused herself quietly, trying to give the blood elves a wide berth as she passed, her already short stature even smaller compared to the stately people. Until they knew they would be safe, she wanted to limit herself as much as she could from the plague-stricken people.

Resm's rooms were empty, at least. Likely no one came in, even to air out the sheets, and so old habits came over her. Dust was beaten out of the bed covers, surfaces wiped clean, the room slowly but surely made livable again. Ursula let out a huff as she wiped her brow, standing in the middle of the now clean room, the scrubbing down an excellent distraction from what laid beyond the door.

And with the bonus of leaving her exhausted. Tugging off her travel clothes, Ursula found an old sleep shirt to wear in her packs, and soon slipped between the cool sheets of the bed. She burrowed into the bedclothes, eyes closed as the tension flowed from her body. If Resm wanted to claim his bed for himself, he'd have a dragon to contend with, and even the half-dragons were inclined to bite. She hummed softly, soon half-asleep.

There was much for Resm to discuss with his elder brother, so the prince didn't return until the late of night to his bedroom. He leaned in the doorway to admire the sight of Ursula in his bed, not denying in the least that it made for a good picture. There was hell to be raised if Resm had the misfortune of waking her, though, so he stripped down to his pants and slid quietly beside her. There was plenty of room in the bed, so things weren't terribly awkward, but......well, there wasn't much privacy in an open-air castle. At least not until morning.

Resm rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought as he recalled holding his son. Duran had been pleased as a peach by the simple request, and the act had soothed Resm more than he thought possible. His child. Resm never thought it possible. If they stayed another night Resm would like to hold him once more, just for a little. 

For a moment, he forgot his newly discovered son was dead.

Come morning, Resm followed tradition by being the first to wake. The palace remains, once more, full of dead. And Resm still no proof of his place as Prince.

 

Ursula looked up at him, pensive and quiet. She was starting to wonder if the attempt to find proof was nothing more than a fool's errand, and she didn't care to stay much longer. Not to mention how the place was starting to wear on Resm. A dead lover, a dead child, and the rest of the court wasn't something she imagined to rest easily on his shoulders. 

"...would it be best to just leave?" She asked quietly. "Resm, whatever proof the council needs is for their own ends, not yours. And if you actually want to keep your family's line on the throne, there are plenty of ways to strong arm the council into accepting you." Secrets, blackmail, outright threats. Whatever he needed done, if he desired the throne that badly, could be handled. A trinket to prove his heritage wasn't the only way to make him emperor. "We can find other methods if we have to."

Resm turned Ursula's words over in his mind, eyes on the ground as he contemplated the best course of action. For him...for him, what would be best? How could he show the entire world that an ancient power had returned? The answer was simple, if dangerous. "No. I understand now what I must do." He turned to Ursula, green eyes holding a clear purpose, for maybe the first time since they had arrived. "We wait until night." 

Blood magic in small doses was mundane, innocent. Blood magic in groups of more than three was downright terrifying. The throne room was filled with every single one of the remaining blood elves, child and adult alike. In the center sat Ursula, Resm, and Yual, surrounded in ring after ring of people, their heads bent to the ground and foreheads touching the cool stone floor. In between the rings of people were divots in the floor, also forming rings, now filled with blood of those gathered. Resm meant to break the seal on the castle.

With most blood magic, you only had to will it, and it would be so. But with big spells such as this, you had to lead in a song-chant, as Resm did now, his voice clear and strong as the others sang along. With everyone pooling together their strength, their blood, their lives, Resm had promised what would take him years would instead take moments. And with the final cry of the song, when Resm and Yual both lifted their faces to the moon, his promise held true.

Everything was gone in a blink. 

Mythos shook underneath in the aftermath, her earth gaining a thousand years in one centralized location all at once. The ground beneath them was reduced to ash, as was everything within five miles of the center. The castle was gone. The town was gone. And all her people, gone, lost to the wind, except for Yual'to. 

In Yual'to's eyes held true terror, for he had not felt Resm's mark of blood on his skin. What had once been contained to all of Kuriane was now housed within his body. 

With Mythos still trembling, they made their way to the Iron City, Resm with his renewed, darker purpose and Ursula with a clearer idea of who Resm'iel Kuriane truly was. 

It didn't take much more for the council to bow to Resm as emperor. Rumors of the collapse, the earthquakes still rumbling across the land, all from one central point--spoke of a strong magic, that only blood elves were capable of using. And in the face of that, with trembling hands, the council crowned Resm, declaring him Emperor Resm'iel of House Kuriane, long that he reign.

Ursula had little time to celebrate her friend's success, soon shutting herself away as a fever raged over her body, the awoken plague attempting to claim one last life. She refused visits, isolating herself to keep it from spreading much further, and a few months later, she emerged, haggard and dull-eyed, but alive, quick to burn her things in the hope that she would be the last to experience the harsh illness. It left its mark, however, etchings of silver under her scales, and deeper wounds inside.

An interest in blood magic reemerged from scholars as Resm took the throne, plenty working with the Emperor himself to relearn what was considered a long-lost school of magic. One fell to his charms, enjoying the challenges he presented, the way his mind worked, and nine months later, a child with dark skin, green eyes, and white hair was born. The council was quick to rebrand the infant as a rebuilding of the long lost race, a preservation of the culture. Efforts were soon doubled down in finding Resm a suitable wife for Empress, to gently steer the people's focus away from the child and her mother. 

The war continued on in the meantime, the humans carving out territory as fast as Mythos reclaimed it. The South fell, the old dragon lords pushed out or worse, and some declared the land a lost cause. 

And still no word from Benjamin, in all that time.

Resm fell to the role of Emperor seamlessly, and while there were times when he fell to his old ways, the new ruler always took care to put Mythos before himself. With his brother giving him council as well, Mythos fought back harder and harder each time, stealing technology and mixing it with magic with the help of Mythos' newest war chief. When she was not deciding battles, Arcana Coldiron was a mother. Joan had been born on a cold winter morning screaming and red-faced, but was still every bit as lovely as a newborn babe could be. And though she wished Benjamin could have been there to see the birth of his daughter, Arc knew that he looked down from above with pride. Sadness could not swallow the woman when she had child, friends, and country supporting her. 

Arc took a year of travel and then settled in to the life fate had decided for her. It was what was best. Four years had passed since she last heard of Benjamin, and if Resm taught her anything, it was that the past was best left dead, no matter how it hurt. With a child and a country riding on her shoulders, Arc did not even feel the time to mourn, not until she settled in to bed and felt the emptiness rush in. 

Resm was Emperor, but even he could not bring back a dead man. Still, his offer to Arcana was not out of pity -- he knew she would rise to the challenge. And rise she did, much better suited for strategy and rallying than bodyguard work. Things were starting to fall into place, even if Mythos still bled with every fight. "This resistance is small." Resm murmured to his friend, the map between them showing a territory of only a few hundred acres. "They think staying close will leave them strong?" 

"This group has a few machine guns between them." Arc answered, her crisp blue eyes trailing down from gate to gate, noticing one fatal weak point. "So they aren't wrong, necessarily." With a sigh, the woman gathered up the map and clenched it tight in her fist. She looked much the same as ever, long red hair cascading down her armored back and blue eyes clear as the sky. She would never admit to the new crow's feet around her eyes, though, nor the scar curving under her chin. 

Resm waved her away just as a scout came bursting into the room, wheezing as he mentioned the 'very important visitor' at the entrance. With a curious glance at Arc, Resm waved her goodbye and went to great this visitor, who came hailing as the Dwarf General's adviser. 

A dead man stood waiting for him. 

The last four years hung heavily on his frame, new scars mixing with the old. His shaggy brown hair and beard were now closely cropped to the skull, grey peppering along his temples and beard, and there were heavy lines along his face. Still, there was no mistaking the rugged man, even if he had yet to greet the Emperor, something that made the guards tense up with the perceived lack of respect. 

But when he broke the silence, his voice was rough, short-spoken as always. "Playing war still, Resm?" The dark eyes watched him, the werebear shifting from foot to foot, a newfound restlessness in him. He was back to being guarded, seeming to expect the worst from his return, and whether or not it would even be welcome. 

Compared to any normal man, Resm looked like a peacock in his rich fabrics and onyx crown. The world grew more beautiful everywhere he touched, or so it felt. Though to a certain someone Resm was still just a stringbean farmhand. "Again, before me, the dead rise. But with you the trick is not the moon, but the sun. Your sun, whom does not know you live. Then again, neither did I." Resm's tattoos flickered to life with an almost bored light, dulling once Resm turned his head away. Ben looked and smelled of the dead. The smell was horrid, enough to make Resm's eyes water. "I cannot decide if she would rather see you like this or would appreciate you a touch less war-torn." 

"Well." Resm turned back, a hard frown on his face. He and Ben were never close, after all, but this was a touch conservative even for Resm. "Do you really want to talk to me or do you want to know where Arcana is?" 

"First a bath." Benjamin said flatly. He didn't have the patience for the elf, not if he seemed to take a few lessons in snobbery. And he had no misgivings on his cleanliness. No doubt if Arc saw him as he was, she'd dump a pail of water over his head before turning him out to wash. He stepped around Resm, saying, "A bath, some food, and clean clothes. And then Arcana."

He eyed the rich cloth Resm wore with clear distaste, but said no more as he found himself in hot water, food and drink nearby, and fresh clothes. No longer looking quite so dead on his feet, Benjamin headed off in search of the woman who held his heart--hell, who held his sanity those long years in captivity. Ignoring the aches in his body, he took directions from those he passed, soon stopping at the door of the war room. Resm wasn't the only one playing at war, it seemed.

Arc was not alone in the room from the sound of it, the woman laughing every so often after a clever word, here and there. She hadn't changed as much as Resm, or so it seemed. "You're dastardly!" Arc cried out with a laugh punctuating her words, soon falling to nothing but giggles. Another voice answered her, muffled by the sound of a metal helmet, crying, "En garde, you fool!" That voice, too, fell to giggles, the two exchanging a few more lines of dialogue until the door was finally opened. 

Arc, as it turns out, had been laughing with a very short child. A child that was clearly wearing what was Arc's helmet, the steel lined with the very same fur that was on her armor's collar, only it was two sizes too large for the child and she had to hold it up with both hands. Not reading the sudden tense atmosphere, the child yelled, "Dastard!" and made a stabbing motion at Ben. Arc scooped her up before she could do any actual damage, staring up at Ben like she was seeing the face of the Mother herself. "...Benjamin?" The utter awe in Arc's voice made up for the distance still between them, the woman hesitant to close that gap. The child in her arms squirmed and kicked until finally she was back on the floor. 

With an indignant huff, she threw down the helmet and glared up at Arcana. "Mama! You picked me up again!" 

Even with Benjamin right there, within arm's reach, Arc's attention was turned to her daughter. "I'm sorry, my little cub, I know you're tough and independent. Now come here, please." Though Joan didn't seem to want to listen, she curled around her mother's leg after a moment more of pouting, glaring at the new man with a heat of a thousand suns. One hand securing her, Arc turned once more to Ben. Holy shit. "They told me you were dead." 

 

Here 

 

"Aye, that's what they told me when I came back." Benjamin said, weariness in his voice. He couldn't help but glance at the child, returning the frown she gave him. A question that could wait, just a moment longer. He knew he had explaining to do, after his promise so many years ago. "The human army finds use in prisoners of war, it turns out. It's not them digging those trenches they like to hide in."

Almost too easy a summary of his last few years, but with a child present, he couldn't quite force himself to go into detail. He walked to the war table, scanning the map with a practiced eye. News from the human army gave him an idea of where the Emperor sent his troops, and just a quick look said they hadn't been lying. There were some clever maneuvers outlined in the map. He traced a region along the borders of the South, known for its harsh terrain and popularity with dragons. "We went where they marched us. Found myself in the South, digging trenches and laying traps for the army. Wake up one morning...the unit that held us captive, dead."

He drew a line across his throat, to illustrate what happened. "Southern elves and dragons not taking kindly to their lands being carved up by humans. Got lucky that one recognized me from work I did a long time back." He lifted his dark eyes to meet the bright blue, saying quietly, "The minute I could, I headed back."

Arc was in tears by the time Ben turned back to look at her. Her face contorted with the attempt to keep back said tears -- Arc was never one for pretty crying -- and she even raised a hand to cover her mouth. This was such a rush of emotions in such a small space, and she still couldn't believe it was Benjamin standing before her. When he took a step closer, Arc just shook her head, eyes squeezing tightly shut and shoulders shaking with the effort to keep her sobs small. But tears finally fell, and with them, Arc broke. 

Joan detached from her mother just in time, Arc finally closing that gap between her and Ben to hug him as hard and tight as she possibly could, face pressed into the shoulder of his shirt. It was the only place where she could muffle her sobs, though with time the armor digging into Benjamin's tender body came to a noticeable pain. She released him just a moment before it became unbearable, wiping at her tears and sniffling back at any that dared break through. Joan was watching uncomfortably from behind, her little fists clutching her shirt and her frown growing in severity. "I'm sorry." Arc finally cracked out, her voice a mere whisper. "I'm sorry I never found you." 

Benjamin jolted at the sudden touch, but there was no resistance. His arms wrapped around her, fingers curling into her hair as he buried his face into her shoulder, a ragged breath escaping him. The thought of holding her just one more time had kept him going, and now that it was reality, he almost felt at a loss, his throat tightening and eyes burning. He didn't even notice the way her armor dug into his skin, a broken noise escaping him once she stepped back, hands reaching out from a need to hold onto her.

There he stood, a weary man, dead on his feet and a need for her, but alive, and more or less whole. His voice cracked as he said roughly, "I didn't want you to. You had enough on your plate here. And more, by the looks of her." He glanced at the small girl, running his fingers through his shortened hair and leaving it in rough spikes. "...is she..."

 

"Yes. Yes, Ben, this is your daughter." Arc followed Ben's gaze down to look at their child, the almost 4-year old grumbling quietly to herself and fidgeting in her spot. She didn't like the fact that this stranger was making her Mama cry but her diabolical plan to right said wrong was rudely interrupted by Arc scooping her up, again. Joan clung to Arc with an almost animal-like instinct, though she was getting a bit too big to be carried around anymore. There was no denying that ugly frown, that was Ben through and through, so was the color of her hair and her eyes, too. "This is Joan. She's turning 4 just next month." 

"Old enough for a wood sword." Joan said with an arrogant certainty, finally smiling when Arc murmured her agreement. "Mama said so, see?"

"I was going to tell you when we lost contact." Arc was getting teary-eyed again, bottom lip trembling as she fought to speak. "I did -- I did okay, I had Resm and Ursula, and eventually Solomon, but it --" It wasn't you, that was what she wanted to say, but it felt so selfish. "I-I know it's a lot to take it, Mother take me, I'm still so sure you're going to disappear again, but, we, I, um, I don't even know what to ask of you, Ben, you're finally back and..." Arc had to stop herself from rambling more, swallowing all she still had to say. "It's more than just us now, Ben."

Benjamin let out a soft breath, looking Joan in the eye. There was no denying that stubborn set to her jaw, but Mother help him, she took plenty after her mother, even with his hair and eye. He could at least hope his...condition didn't pass on as well.

But a child...he wasn't sure if he was still numb with shock from his escape, but--there was no great welling up of love, not yet, but there wasn't disappointment either. Just a quiet sense of acceptance, that they made this child together, that she was part of the reality before him. His hand rested against the small of Arc's back, as he said quietly, "Four years ago, I told you I'd have one more mission and then I'd call it a day. No more missions." He took a steady breath. "...if you'll still have me. Things have...changed, and I can't deny it, but..."

His voice broke, as he pressed his face to her shoulder, a rare display of vulnerability. "I gotta come home. I can't do this anymore.”

Arc carded her free hand through his hair, holding the man there until she was sure he wouldn't break. "You don't have to do it anymore, okay? You're home. You've done your job." The word choice Ben had picked was hard to ignore, though, and Arc sighed as she realized that she had some hurdles to cross as well. Her excitement and disbelief at knowing Ben had returned was slowly being replaced with...fear. Not of him, but of their promise, oh so long ago. 

For so long it had just been her and Joan. And Joan was her sun and stars, how could she suddenly adjusting to having the moon as well? Mother guide her; she had a child in one arm and a broken man in the other. "I just...I need a little time, Ben. And you need to rest up, so, so you stay here, at the castle, for just a few days. Let me figure things out on my end and we can see about putting all of this together. I can't take care of you the way I am right now. I want to be able to." 

Arc pressed a gentle kiss to his head, combing her fingers through Ben's hair until he stopped trembling and his hand loosened it's grip on her back. "I want you, Benjamin Kirkwall. But you've come back from the dead and I need time to remember what that means. It's been a long four years."

"You're telling me." Benjamin muttered, trying to hold back his disappointment. He didn't expect much more than an acknowledgement that he was alive--hell, realistically he figured she was long since married to another, and would only set him aside when he returned. But even with her welcome, he couldn't help but hope for more. Carding his fingers through his hair, he asked roughly, "Will Resm allow it? I mean, we can play nice when it comes down to it, but we've never been friends."

Largely true. The elf and human tolerated each other, but about as well as two cats sharing a street. As long as they didn't push, there was, more or less, peace between them. Now admittedly, in a castle as big as Resm's, that wouldn't be much a problem, but even so. Arc was making arrangements that he wasn't too sure if Resm would agree with.

"Are you really worried about that, in a castle this large?" Arc asked with a disbelief in her voice. "He'll allow it or else." And that was that, at least for now. Arc gave Benjamin another worrying glance and brought him in for one last hug. It was stretching into an awkward quiet by the time Arc finally released him, trading out the large man for her daughter instead. Joan perched happily in her arms, the two of them were gone in a flash before anything else could be said. The encounter was hopeful, but it certainly could have gone...better. 

Apparently Arc had flagged down one of the servants to help Benjamin out, because the man was stopped as soon as he stepped out of the war room to be led off to a cozy bedroom for his leisure. Resm wasn't terribly happy about the arrangement, but he invited Benjamin for drinks later in the evening all the same, to rekindle what little companionship they had once possessed.

Chapter 2

On a night of a full moon, Ursula decided to confess her love. 

There was no rhyme nor reason to it, really. A servant caught with a book made her think of Resm and his own favorite pastime, which made her think of their long shared history, which made her realize that they had made absolutely no progress at all. 

It was hopeless. 

Which is why Ursula decided to confess her love on a night of a full moon. 

Ursula's own preparations were underway. Ursula soon threw herself into work at the kitchens, helping here and there with dinner. She stepped around the other kitchen maids, well-versed in the constantly moving dance that came with preparing a massive meal to dish out throughout the palace. The emperor's meal was carefully watched over by the guards, with an added detail--little cakes in the shape of a beehive, topped with white glaze that dripped out from the core, an old treat she once made him when they still had the farmhouse together. Gathering up the tray, she headed up to his apartments, always so quiet and removed from the rest of the world.

Right. No need to be nervous. Ursula steeled herself with a deep breath, staring at the doors that led into his room. Her odds went one way or another, and it was just...time to suck it up and get it over with. Knocking first, to announce someone was entering, she pushed open the door. "Resm? I brought you dinner." Her ears twitched at the splashing in the bathroom, as she smiled to herself. Likely relaxing after a long day. Ursula set the tray down at the table he often sat at, talking loud enough for him to hear. "Pork, roasted and drizzled in raspberry sauce, with red wine. It'll be ready once you're done."

A loud smack from the inside of the bathroom showed Resm's eagerness to get to dinner more than his weak, "I'll be out in a moment!" Clearly Resm hit something in his scramble out from the tub, from the crack in his voice something tender. Cursing softly to himself, Resm finally emerged from the baths still steaming but thankfully clothed in a conservative nightrobe. His hair, still slightly damp, was slicked down for once, and unusual sight for the normally curly white hair. A droplet or two curved down the length of his neck and buried themselves down into the nightrobe, safe for now. "I'd best eat it while it's still warm." He murmured to himself, seemingly uncaring that he was still half-soaked in water. 

Resm took a cut of the pork and chewed slowly, leaning against the table as his tattoos slowly came to light. As suddenly as Resm had been wet from the baths, he was now dry, the water gone in an instant thanks to some (very lazy) magic. "This is delicious, Ursula, thank you." Now properly dry, Resm took his seat at the table to dig in, this being the part where the two typically parted ways. "I take it Ben turned down my invitation, then?" 

"He sent word to the kitchen staff that he wanted to eat by himself tonight. They thought it better not to argue." Ursula said. Now that he was there, right in front of her, it seemed too risky to even say anything. She swallowed the lump in her throat, aware she was hovering by the table. Daring and foolish, that's what she had to be that night. Not cowardly. "Resm...I know you're probably busy, or you want to relax, but--I wanted to talk." Her voice broke, the woman forcing herself not to stare at the floor. Everything she had done in her life seemed so easy compared to this. "We...we aren't as close as we've been, but I needed to say something, or else I'm going to end up regretting it for the rest of my life."

"I love you." Three words, spoken so quietly it was little more than a whisper, and still so hard to say. "I love you, and I have for years, and I can't keep it to myself any longer..."

Resm did not need to fake his surprise -- he look of awe on his face was true, in every sense, even the mid-freeze of his wine goblet to his lips. When he had returned from the ruins of his Empire, the thought of Ursula ever seeing him as anything more than a forgotten relic was laughable at best. That was supposed to be the end of it. In a strange dance, they would end up friends again, with Arc keeping them all together in a strange tangle of lost feelings. This? This was impossible. The stuff of his dreams.

Slowly he placed the goblet on his desk. Slowly he rose from the table. And when he approached Ursula, all he could do was spread his hands in reverence. "I love you too, Ursula. I have, for years and years, and I thought, surely, you would never...." Though Resm desperately wanted to kiss her, he hugged Ursula instead, burying his face into her auburn locks and coming to the slow realization this was real. "I love you...!"

Her hands curled into his robe, her face pressed against the soft cloth. It grew damp, not from his bath, but from tears, the woman suddenly unable to hold them back. A rush of emotions overtook her--relief, delight, confusion--all from hearing those three little words fall from his mouth. She had to pull back, quick to wipe her eyes as she tried to stop the waterworks. "I couldn't--I wanted to tell you for so long, and now..."

Ursula fell back into his arms, letting out a shaky sigh as she tightened her hold on him. He felt so right, warm and solid against her body, even with her suspicions that he didn't eat as often as he should. She let out a soft laugh, closing her eyes before she cupped his face. Just as before, her lips were soft against his, but she didn't break the kiss, far gentler than she had been earlier. She said quietly, "I would. But I thought...I didn't want to ruin what we had. Even as we grew distant, I couldn't..."

"That night at the castle did not help either of us." Resm said bitterly, quick to wipe away Ursula's tears with his thumb, gentle as ever. "I thought I had made my feelings clear when in reality all it did was plunge us further into this madness." Glad to see the love of his life was no longer crying, Resm pulled Ursula close once more for another hug, the man content for the moment to touch her however she would allow. Hugging...hugging felt almost scandalous at this point. Dare he ask for more? 

"Then....with things cleared up, allow me to court you." They met eye-to-eye for a moment, Resm dead serious as he continued, "It is what I would have done at the farm house, had our feelings been confessed. It will be different, I as Emperor, but between the two of us surely we can attain success." He felt a little silly even asking, the two of them much too old to be blushing young adults giddy at the thought of holding hands and romantic proposals. "Or, well, you know of me and I...know of you...so perhaps there are a few steps we can disregard?"

 

Ursula couldn't help but laugh, saying gently, "While I wouldn't say no to a courtship, I know you as well as myself. I think there are more than a few steps we can skip." They almost did, just a few years ago, but she would rather that memory lay in the dust of that forgotten city. Her hand found his, curling tightly into it, as she said, "I just know that I want you. However we can manage it."

She knew they'd have their fair share of difficulties, but for once, she wanted to hold onto the now, rather than the later. Ursula brushed back a lock of damp hair from his face, saying, "You gave me a home, and friends, and you've been there when I've needed you. What more do we need to do for courting, Resm? You've covered all the bases and then some, even while running a damn country..."

Resm let her words roll around in his head, finally nodding along with understanding. Everything she said made sense, especially when it was laid out like that. OK. So. Perhaps the more rational person would have suggested intimate relations, but Resm liked to go along the more traditional route for the woman he loved with all his heart. "Then let's do away with courtship. What do we need it for? We are already best friends, and know each other to a scary extent -- anything else will be trivial." The emperor took Ursula's hands in his own and bent down on one knee, as he had seen the modern people do. 

"Ursula Brandt, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Realizing he was missing a key component of the proposal, Resm quickly amended with, "I have not had time to secure the proper offering to you but I promise that can be arranged as soon as the next minute, if you so wish."

"You've been emperor for too long. You're so much more formal than you were at the farm." Ursula couldn't help but tease, tilting his chin up. Rings, geodes, however he planned to claim her as his wife, she didn't care. But there was one thing she wanted, something he could easily provide. Her thumb traced his jaw, as she said softly, "Yes. I'll marry you, Resm'iel Kuriane. But I don't want anything more than to have a night with you."

Catching his hands, she tugged him to his feet. Years of waiting finally gone, and what use did she have of rings? She had his love. Pushing him into the bed, Ursula straddled him, her hair falling like a curtain as she kissed him, her hands running along the skin hidden away under his robe. "I want you, tonight. To see you, to feel you...give me that." She whispered. "Make me yours."

The back of Resm's legs hit the bed and he fell back easily, grinning by the time Ursula situated herself on top. "I"ll give you tonight and any other night you desire. But you'd best lock the door, if you make requests like that." Ursula had come in to deliver his dinner, after all, and knowing Chaunce the councilor would be up every 10 minutes to make sure Resm was doing his imperial duties. This counted, surely? Unsure if Ursula wanted to strip him or not, Resm saved her a step by disrobing and waiting for her naked on the bed, his tattoos a muted white light in the growing darkness.

Her imagination hadn't been terribly off, actually, but for the fact that his cock had lines of ink too. Meeting her for a kiss upon her return, Resm fell back once more to the sheets, content to be underneath her for the time being -- the whole night, Mother willing. "There is but one gap in my knowledge about you." Voice soft, Resm met Ursula for kiss after kiss until they were breathless and he was growing hard underneath her. "How do you like this?" 

"I like setting the pace." Ursula said, catching his chin and holding him still as she stole another kiss. There was a strength there in her grip, unsurprising for someone like herself. His cock was suddenly trapped between his stomach and her cunt, her skirts pooling out over him as she began to grind along its length, wet and wetter with each motion. That she wore nothing underneath her uniform was a detail hard to miss. 

Ursula bit back a soft moan at the hardness twitching between her soaked cunt, her hands suddenly tugging at the clothing she wore. Her breasts spilled out, barely a moment to enjoy their freedom before she was playing with them, pulling and pinching, claws pressing into the soft skin, just enough to scratch. She managed to move to her knees, positioning herself over his cock, and sank down, just as sudden as her confession. Wet, tight heat encased him--she took him right to the hilt, a sharp gasp shivering through her, her eyes fluttering shut in pleasure. He stretched her just enough, hot and heavy inside her.

A detail Resm hoped was for him alone. Propping himself up on his elbows, Resm watched with half-lidded eyes as Ursula sank down on him like he was nothing, He hadn't expected that so quick -- Resm gasped with the sudden enclosed heat and thrust up just once before Ursula really started to work herself on top. Though they were barely visible in the dying light of the bedroom, Resm wanted for a lot -- he wanted her tits in his mouth, his crown on her head, and a hand at this throat to hold him steady. Something was very, very different when it came to Ursula, evident enough as Resm fought to tether himself immobile and keep his noises to a minimum. 

The noises between them made up for every groan Resm swallowed down, the wet slap of skin on skin loud enough to fill all of the emperor's royal chambers. "Mmff, U-Ursula!" Finally, Resm broke, matching the halfling's rhythm point-for-point. Unlike his dream counterpart, this Resm was more than content to let Ursula ride to her completion, just so long as he got to help her part of the way. He was skinny, and covered in tattoos, but this was the real Resm, one who loved Ursula with all his heart. And nothing....gods, nothing could compare to this. "I-I'm so cl-close...!"

There was little concern that he might finish inside her, Ursula panting softly as she continued to ride the man under her. And god, if he didn't look good under her. Dreams were all well and good, but there was something about watching him fall apart, that she was the one able to get him to that point--it felt amazing. Ursula hushed him with a heated kiss, gasping at the change in angle, a new spot of pleasure hit. She was close herself, she knew it, as she pressed a finger to his babbling mouth.

"S-shh. Just--oh--let go." Her kisses grew soft, lazy, her hips rolling slower, steadier, her breath quickening. So close, almost there--and she broke, the heat rushing over her, skin suddenly too tight as she cried out. "R-Resm...!"

Resm met her kisses, slow and lazy, before answering her peak with one of his own. His hands, having been good and tangled in the sheets before, broke protocol just to hold Ursula's thighs down to him, to make sure she got each and every bit of his seed in her. It felt like -- too much? Not enough? Resm was breathing hard as he broke away, but that didn't stop him from pressing a daring kiss here and there to Ursula's neck. Ah, gods, what a blessing. The salt of her sweat left a pleasant taste in his mouth, something Resm promised to explore as he slowly lay back. 

A shift of magic here, a soft color change to his tattoos, and Resm was hard once more, slowly thrusting in and out of Ursula as she rested on top. There were a few benefits to having strong magic. "You did ask for a night with me....shall we make full use of it?" 

A strange sensation, but not unwelcome. That was a talent she would have to explore with him. Ursula was soon quiet, giving herself over to the sensations, the thrusts gentle, relaxed, no longer as hurried as before. They could easily keep the pace up if need be. She stretched upwards, a soft groan escaping her, almost as lewd as the ones she made earlier. "I should have--mm, confessed earlier to you..."

They'd have all the time to make up for that, at least. Relaxed, sated as he thrust into her, Ursula kept her hands to his chest, rubbing her thumbs along the glowing tattoos. She said softly, "Sometimes I'm just...struck by how handsome you are. Amazing, and clever, and kind...I was lucky to count myself as your friend, let alone a lover."

"Really?" Curiosity colored Resm's tone. "I didn't think I would be attractive to you. I saw your expression when I described myself in my prime...I thought the stick version would be less appealing." Not that Resm was denying the 'amazing' and 'clever' compliments, hah. His eyes fluttered shut at a particularly nice thrust, breathing out with a soft huff here and there, wondering how he got so lucky. "I....thank the Mother if you've not yet noticed, but I very much have a type of woman I like. Arc being one bizarre exception." 

Letting his gaze fully drink her in, Resm did not stop his hips as they thrust a bit deeper, a bit harder, saying, "Thick and tough, a crazy head of red, and an assertive strong will I know will break to no one. Your tits are fantastic and were it not for the very pretty picture before me I'd be playing with them as we speak." Resm's voice was getting a little shaky, with the hurried pace he was now fucking Ursula with once more. "I know you could break me in half if you'd like and something about that just -- I cannot explain it, but I love it. Love that part of you, U-Ursula...!" 

Now there was a pretty picture above him, as he came undone. Ursula's eyes were wide, her cheeks dark with a blush, before her face split into a smile. His words made her heart squeeze tight, a warmth flooding throughout her body, almost as good as the orgasm that followed soon after. Stopping him before he could wield his magic again, she kissed his forehead tenderly, brushing back the white locks. "I could break you, yes, and we'll definitely be looking into that little...thing of yours. There's plenty to explore there."

Very exciting things to explore. But she shut that thought away, finding a pitcher of cool water and a spare rag, using it to run along his sweat-slicked skin. She teased him, "And you'll play with my tits when I say so. You've grown too big for your boots as an emperor, Resm. Someone has to put you in your place." A soft hum escaped her as she fell back to her work, strong hands in gentle, even strokes along his body. "I like you as you are. Stick and all. Your past self was handsome, but...that's not the one I fell for. That's not the Resm I can now call mine."

 

 

Here

 

"You'll be sure to tell me when, yeah?" Resm sounded a little winded for the first time in their two rounds, content to sit lazily on the bed and let Ursula wipe him down. So much for the earlier bath -- they'd both need a full soak by the end of things, whenever that was. The fact that sex was even an option between them was enough to leave a smile on the elf's face. Even if they stopped here, never touched one another again, Resm could die happy knowing that Ursula loved him for one night. But this wasn't a one night fling....and the kingdom would know of that, soon enough. Arc had to find out first, though. Would undoubtedly find out first, regardless. 

Feeling a little coy now, Resm waited until Ursula was done cleaning him up before holding his hand out for the cloth. "Let me return the favor, at least."

The cloth was passed over, Ursula not yet noticing his small change in demeanor. She pulled up her hair, working to place it in a lazy bun, eyes closed as she relaxed. Sharing a space felt good, intimate, knowing he was close enough to touch. She had the feeling she would come see him more often during the night, when his schedule allowed for it. 

She smiled at a thought, saying, "You know...I know humans aren't exactly on your good side right now, but if you really wanted to marry...we could find a human priest. I bet you anything the human army brought a few over, and it's not like they would know who you were." A safer bet than asking a Mythos-born priest to overlook a discreet marriage. "I could look into it, maybe find one that's not too bad of a sort..."

It took Resm a moment to peel off what remained of Ursula's clothing, and the sight underneath was pretty distracting indeed, but he kept his ears perked to let her know he was listening. "Personally, I would like us not to be married by a human. As a nation, I feel like Mythos might back me on such a outright denial." The cloth had gone from cold to lukewarm, but Resm still slowly washed Ursula down, hoping his new lover would not mind him breaking the tit rule for the moment. "But if discreet is what you want, my brother knows how to conduct the ceremony. It was one of the few roles as king -- and I would know if he was screwing us or not."

"But...look into it regardless. That is the role you've come to fit into." The cloth went from shoulder to breast, thumbing hard over her nipple before following the curve of her ribs and stomach down to her core. "And you are good at it." As the last place to clean, Resm made sure to be thorough, pulling away once she started to respond to his touches. "I don't need the wedding to be a secret." Oh, was that a bit of a stubborn tilt to his tone?

Ursula huffed softly at the loss of his hand, soon responding by crawling into his lap as if to claim her spot on the throne. She leaned back against his chest, saying, "I honestly doubt your empire would think much of you marrying someone like myself, so openly." Not that she was protesting his stubbornness, mind. It was oddly sweet, if a bit foolhardy. He had an empire to build, a dynasty to grow. The smallest misstep could send it trembling. She reached for his face, shifting so she could kiss his cheek. "We'll figure it out. Lots of wedding planning to do and all that."

For now, Ursula was content to relax against him, her heat warming them both in the cool room. She closed her eyes with a soft hum, interlacing their fingers together. "...I love you. And god if it doesn't feel amazing to say that out loud..."

Ursula huffed softly at the loss of his hand, soon responding by crawling into his lap as if to claim her spot on the throne. She leaned back against his chest, saying, "I honestly doubt your empire would think much of you marrying someone like myself, so openly." Not that she was protesting his stubbornness, mind. It was oddly sweet, if a bit foolhardy. He had an empire to build, a dynasty to grow. The smallest misstep could send it trembling. She reached for his face, shifting so she could kiss his cheek. "We'll figure it out. Lots of wedding planning to do and all that."

For now, Ursula was content to relax against him, her heat warming them both in the cool room. She closed her eyes with a soft hum, interlacing their fingers together. "...I love you. And god if it doesn't feel amazing to say that out loud..."

"I love you, as well." Resm could not help but smile at her words, the warmth of both her body and feelings keeping him alight. "...you will stay tonight, yes? And every night hereafter? I want you by my side for as long as I can have you." Resm pressed a hard kiss to her temple and brought Ursula closer, his skinny legs keeping her trapped in place. Ursula may have sat in him like a throne, but this throne was liable to come alive and hug back.

When morning came, Resm just hopped with all his heart she had stayed. 

His wish came true with the dawning light. Ursula was dead asleep, curled up under the heavy blankets at his side, her auburn hair a halo around her head. Normally up early and cooking, for once, she was more interested in sleeping in, barely budging when he woke. Well, except to squirm her way into the warm spot he left behind, a sleepy mutter under her breath. 

Ursula's presence presented a tiny problem, however--there was no one to bring him his breakfast as usual. A small downside of her staying the whole night through, but not too terrible of one.

Resm could wait an extra hour or two in the morning if it meant he got to wake up with Ursula curled up by his side. And as he kissed her neck and chest, a better idea drifted to mind on what to have for breakfast. He only hoped Ursula would like it. When Ursula seemed to be stirring from his kisses, Resm grew bolder and started trailing down her body, down, down, until he was slipping under the covers to get at what he desired. Ursula was still half asleep, so Resm justified that as his reason to be a bit lazy with it.

He the scent between her thighs, though, resting comfortably between her legs as he slowly and thoroughly ate Ursula out. 

Ursula shifted under his talented tongue, fingers trailing along her stomach as a soft sigh escaped her. They ran along her tits, teasing at the sensitive nubs as she moaned his name, thighs tensing around him for a worrying minute before relaxing once more. She hummed sleepily as she opened one eye, lifting the covers to catch him red-handed, as it were. "Well, good morning..." Heavy-eyed, hair still tousled from sleep and sex, she sat up, tensing with a small moan at a particularly good stroke of his tongue along her clit. "H-hah, very good morning."

"Morning, love." Resm paused to kiss the inside of her thigh, wondering if she wanted him to continue. He was perfectly content where he was between her legs, though those moans of hers had stirred him awake as well. Trying not to be self-conscious of his hard cock pressed to the mattress, Resm bent down to give her clit a few more fleeting teases before asking, coyly, "Did you have plans this morning? Or may I continue?" 

"If you stopped, you'd be in such a world of trouble." Ursula managed, glad her voice didn't waver too badly. Oh, there was such a smug look on that man's face. Any chores she had could wait, she decided, as she said mildly, "Since you asked so nicely, that is."

Quite pleased with her agreement, Resm went back to work, going at her hard and slow now that she was fully awake and could appreciate each and every fleeting touch. Ah, she was already wet, and Resm let one hand cup her thigh the next time they squeezed around his head, repeating whatever magic he was working over and over to milk more of those pleased sounds from her. Ursula sitting up slightly was proving to be a problem, though, and in a rare fit of stubbornness Resm pulled her down to a more vulnerable position. 

If Ursula was going to get huffy about it, though, Resm hoped he would be forgiven for each slow, methodical stroke of his tongue that followed, ending with Resm very gently probing her clit. He wanted her to come with his tongue alone, but maybe fingers would be a nice touch too...?

The moment he tested the theory out, sliding one elegant finger into her wet cunt, there was a muffled swear, her fingers digging into the sheets as her back arched off the bed. Her chest rising and falling rapidly, Ursula fought to breathe as he fingered her, just as slow and thorough as he had been with eating her out. She shut her eyes tight, her breath leaving in sharp little gasps, before a firm suck along her clit, his finger curling inside her, sent a wave of heat throughout her body, something deep inside her snapping like a taut wire. 

Thighs trembling and absolutely soaked, she had to lay still for a few moments, until the rushing died in her ears, the heat slowly fading. Ursula sucked in a deep breath, aware of his finger still deep inside her. "Where the hell did you learn all this? Because holy hell, Resm..."

Resm didn't answer Ursula, instead chuckling along with amusement and kissing the little bit of fat just below her navel. Ah, she was soft. That was a secret for another day, and one Ursula probably knew the answer to; being old had it's benefits. Hearing her cum, though, that was nice, Resm finally rewarding himself by getting up on his elbows and resting himself in her bosom. Of course, his single finger soon turned to two, threatening to try mischief again when a familiar voice was heard just beyond the grand wooden doors that sealed off the Emperor's bedroom. 

Recognizing Chaunce's voice, Resm grumbled with annoyance and tried a bit harder to get Ursula coming again. "Just ignore him." Resm's cock brushed against Ursula's thigh as he re-positioned himself, one arm bent as he slowly worked her open. 

"E-easier said th-than done." Ursula muttered, hips rolling to try to sink those fingers deeper. Chaunce's voice could penetrate a steel door, she'd swear it on her life, but soon there were other distractions to pull her attention, the room filling with soft moans and the steady smack of skin against skin. He filled her so well, a heavy weight inside her as his cock pumped in and out, earning her bitten off cries so not to arouse any suspicion. She buried her face into his shoulder, hot breath against his skin as she worked to meet his thrusts. 

"Don't stop, don't you dare--" She swore softly, biting and kissing along his throat, leaving her mark along his dark skin, her claws scoring lines along his back. Her demands for more were easily fulfilled, the woman breathless with each stroke deeper, harder inside her.

As if Resm had any intention of stopping! He worked them both to their highest peak, to that crashing climax, in mere moments, then kept them there until he could no longer handle it. She kept him in with such warmth and greed, Resm felt mad with lust whenever he was finally sheathed inside her. Kisses always brought him back, though. Ah, fuck, he loved this woman! With a soft swear, he came, shuddering still for a moment before rolling his hips to get Ursula to follow. The claws in his back helped him thrust hard once more, crying out when he finally felt her tighten around him. His own aftercare forgotten, Resm scooped Ursula up with a laugh, the two rolling in bed until they were completely squished together in a cocoon of sheets. 

Resm met Ursula for one kiss, then another, as happy as happy could be. "We'll eventually have to leave bed, won't we?"

"Eventually. More's the pity for us." Ursula murmured, her arms wrapped around his neck. If they could waste the day away together like that, she would be a very happy woman. She kissed the tip of his nose, wearing a fond smile. The pieces were finally coming together, after so long a wait, that she was loathe to let him out of her sight. There were more nights to be had, but still. Ursula could be selfish when she wanted. "I think if you make Chaunce wait much longer, he might kick the doors down. He probably has your breakfast for you."

And whatever paperwork awaited Resm's attention that morning. Slow to untangle herself from Resm's arms and the sheets, Ursula managed it in her own time, allowing him a good view of her backside as she sauntered off towards the bathroom. "Play nice with Chaunce today. You might get something nice later tonight."

"I'll will attempt to be a good emperor, if only for Chaunce." Resm murmured, appreciating the view as long as he could before Ursula ducked away into the marble bathroom. Mother be good. Resm said a small prayer in thanks before getting up and pulling on his nightrobe to answer the door. Chaunce was indeed standing there, peevish, with breakfast in hand. The head maid had gone missing and it fell upon Chaunce to deliver the Emperor's food instead, how sad. Chaunce really did deserve a raise. Everyone who had to put up with an Emperor like Resm deserved a raise.

After a polite thank you and a promise to be done before noon, Resm was finally able to close the door again. Once he sat down, though, he was surprised to see a small note from Ben in the stack. Now that was unexpected -- maybe sleeping in luxury had warmed the werebear a bit. "Would you care terribly if I check in on Benjamin? I did promise Arc I wouldn't let him fall into squalor." 

"You follow through with your promise." Ursula said, pausing as she passed to kiss his forehead. "Say hi to the grumpy bastard for me. He's been snapping away at all the maids lately..." She fixed a stray lock of hair along his head, smiling a bit as she traced his jaw. She couldn't seem to get enough of touching him, now that she was free to do so, and followed the gentle touch with another kiss. "Get him out of his mood or whatever it is you need to do. I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course. You will tell Arc and Joan hello for me, won't you?" Resm knew the women would meet for lunch as always, little Joan gently demanding sweets and giving her mashed up attempts in return. Since neither one of them were dressed yet, they had a little fun with that for what short amount of time they could allow, accidentally falling into fucking one last time before finally taking leave of one another. Resm felt he was going to go mad in that room, so it was probably for the best that he finally managed to drag himself from the sweet warmth of Ursula's embrace. Hoping he didn't stink of sex (again), he turned down the corridor where Benjamin was staying.

Well aware of the man's distaste for all things fanciful, Resm took careful precautions to look normal -- no makeup, no fur-lined clothing, just a simple pair of trousers and wool shirt to drape on his skinny frame. Even his crown was absent for the time being, another tactical move of genius on Resm's part. Wondering if Benjamin knew that Arc walked in the castle halls this very moment, he knocked on the door and awaited Benjamin's answer. Oh. A food offering would have been a good thing to bring...ah, well.

The door pulled open, the man as surly as ever, but without a word, he stepped aside to let Resm in. His nose wrinkled as the other stepped inside, catching that faint scent--there wasn't much point in hiding the fact from a werebear, regardless of what form he took. He headed to the small table in the room, luckily already covered with a basic lunch for two, as he said dryly, "Sorry if I interrupted something...important, when I asked to see you. Hope the lucky lady wasn't too put out when you had to leave."

Ben sat on one side, cracking open a bottle of beer. In the small time he had stayed with Resm, he was starting to put on weight again, not quite to his usual bulk, but getting there. Steady, decent meals had their benefits, as did a quiet room, as the dark circles under his eyes weren't quite as pronounced. A full night's sleep was still out of his grasp, but little by little, he was sleeping better. 

"Ursula is understanding." Not one to brag, Resm still let her name drop with a pleased smile. It was not like Ben to care, but Resm wanted to share the news as discreetly as he could -- and if Ben could smell the sex on him it was hardly worth trying to hide. "Was there anything in particular you wanted to discuss? Was Morrigan hanging outside your room again?" Resm clicked his tongue in distaste. "I told her you were not to be bothered, in all fairness. If she continues to harass you about Arc I'll tell her to cut it out." Taking the offered chair, Resm sat across from Ben and politely looked down at the food. He wasn't one for beer in the morning. 

But Resm was a little pleased Ben was looking better...Arc would be glad to hear it. Although she still danced around Ben, the woman truly was worried. How long had it been now? Two weeks exactly, today. Resm frowned at the thought. 

Ben glanced up at the name, a brief flicker of surprise registering in his eyes. The last he heard from the gossiping servants, Resm's lady friend was some scholar he had knocked up. But that was more Resm's business than his, as he said, "No, she's not been a problem. She finally got the message that she didn't need to hover." 

He nursed his beer, almost reluctant to even say why he asked for Resm. But two weeks and still nothing from Arc, beyond a quick word in passing if they came across each other in the castle...he'd die before he admitted it, but he was lonely, a stranger in a castle full of people and no one to talk to. Resm, at least, was familiar. Ben set down his drink, and said slowly, carefully, "I thought we could...talk. You could fill me in on all the stuff I've missed, maybe." A rare, very dry laugh escaped him. "A work camp isn't the best place to hear the latest. They always left us with the impression the human armies were winning."

"Is it war you want to speak of?" Resm seemed unsure, Ben's words a bit two-faced. "If you want to speak of it, I would rather we not spoil such a tempting lunch over it." The truth was there, plain on Resm's face -- the human armies were doing more than winning. They were squirreling away and growing stronger, with few options remaining on driving them out. Resm, like the rest of his council, was lost on how to continue the fight...at least on the larger scale. Small battles seemed to be all they could win. 

"I was hoping we could speak of something...pleasant. Like your plans for the future, when Arc comes around -- as I know she will. No worries there." Resm sighed and finally cracked open the second beer that sat on the table. "Have you thought of any new occupation?"

"I--yeah. No, I'm fine talking about other things." Ben said, running his fingers through his still short hair. Like Arc. Her--their child. But for a man who could speak so directly, he couldn't find himself to ask. Not when he felt like an intruder as it was on what was now Arc's life. He sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Been playing with a few ideas. I'm done fighting, done running errands for others. There's work in the city here, yeah? With so many fighting, there's always something needing done."

He began to pick at his food, saying, "Too urban to play at being a hunter. Not refined enough to be a butcher, hilariously. And working with animals only makes 'em nervous. You got...construction efforts going on, I see that. Could try my hand at it." At the mention of Arc, Ben grew moody, adding, "We'll see if she does."

Not that Ben needed to know, but Resm had promised to care for him for only two weeks before starting to charge rent. And seeing as they lived in a castle, Resm was hoping Arc would put two and two together and finally work up a little courage. But he said nothing on that particular topic, long ears flicking as he looked Ben over once more. "Construction is easily done, if you're really wanting. There's supposed to be a theatre in works down by the plaza that could use another pair of strong hands to help out." 

Resm didn't seem pleased with that, instead mentioning, "Arc needs someone to watch the little one when she comes to the castle -- she can't continue to drag Joan around forever. Have you considered being a homemaker?"

 

"Oh, sure, plenty of times." Benjamin said dryly, leaning back in his seat. "Always thought about offering myself up to her and saying, hey, Arc, it's been years since we've seen each other, our daughter doesn't know me, why not trust her to me for the day? Taking care of a kid can't be that hard, right?"

He snorted, pushing his food to the side, no longer hungry. "I think getting her to agree to that would be a bit of a long shot. Haven't even gotten the chance to talk properly with her yet..."

"It's been just her and Joan for some time -- you'll have to forgive Arcana if she is skittish." Resm did not hide the bite in his words, sighing when he realized the two of them were both starting to get cranky. Ben was lonely, Resm was wanting his best friend to be happy, and everyone was butting heads over it instead of trying to be adults and talk clearly and concisely. Fuck it all. "You'll be staying with her in the near future; it might do you some good to show a bit of incentive towards Joan. Calling her by her name would be a nice start."

"You may not think it, but you and have do have something in common. We both came home to find it different, and a child there we never knew existed. The difference is you get to make a life with your lover and your child and I never did." Resm bit down on his tongue before he said something he really regretted. Small breath. He continued. "What....is the first thing you want to talk to Arc about?" 

Benjamin was silent, brows knitted as he took the scolding without his usual snapped remarks. There wasn't much fight left in the man, even as he recovered. Finally, he muttered, "I just want to talk...about anything. Being sorry, that I couldn't come back when I promised. Missing her. And anything beyond that. Used to stay awake, thinking of all the crap she'd say or do, and now that I'm back, I still have to settle for fantasies instead of the real bloody thing."

"I'm trying to be patient." He said flatly, examining his hands. "I know I'm walking in on her life." And he couldn't force himself in on that, as much as he wanted to be part of that once more. Benjamin sighed, rubbing his face tiredly as he muttered, "I just want to know what kind of chance I've got. Can you blame me for that?"

"No, one cannot blame you for that." Resm hated to see his friend in such a state, truly, but knew there was little to do on his part. Well. There was some good news....however small. "You have a larger chance than you give yourself credit, I think. In all the years you've been missing? She's had no other." Though whether that was her own choice, Resm was unsure -- he did tell everyone in the castle that to ask Arc for a date, they had to defeat her in combat. Now that he thought on it, that may have been a key factor. Ben didn't need to know. 

Resm's head twitched at a sudden sound, but he soon turned back to Ben. "I do believe that was why one of my maids was bothering you so terribly....she wanted to know the secrets to wooing a woman like Arc."

Benjamin rolled his eyes a bit as he reached back for his beer. "There's no secret. Just gotta follow your instincts and not beat around the bush." He frowned at himself, saying, "Something I gotta learn again, I guess."

"So she's really been on her own, no one or anything?" He asked finally. 

 

"I speak the truth when I say she's not had any other lover since your left for the war." Not that Ben really had the right to judge her if that wasn't the case, but that was left unspoken. It was a basic truth, after all. "Whether that is because of Joan or because of you, I cannot say. I imagine it is a mixture of both." Between Resm's own efforts to keep her happy, as well as her parents' and friends, it wasn't really a concern of Arc's. She missed the companionship, of course, Ben's in particular, but was really too busy to think on it except for especially quiet nights. 

"We've been lending a hand, here and there, to help her along. You know a bit of her schedule, now." Ben had seen Arc enough times in the castle by this point to know the majority of her rounds. "Things will be easier with Joan starting her lessons soon. She's near of age."

"What, this young?" Benjamin looked startled. "She's hardly even four yet." His own introduction to education had been patchy at best, and he knew he had a bit of a kneejerk reaction to it sometimes, but shit. Four year olds stuck with the family. He shook his head, saying, "But--yeah. I guess that's true. Can maybe...catch her in the halls or something, try to talk." Anything to get something started. He rubbed the back of his neck, before he snorted. "So when the hell did you get so sensible about this sort of thing, huh? Last I checked, you weren't doing so hot yourself. Til today, I guess, which--congratulations, if you want 'em."

Rough words from a rough man, but there wasn't malice behind them, just his usual bluster. He rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the tension from them, before saying, "I should get a start on the day. Thanks for coming by.”

"Many thanks." Resm said flatly, somehow glad that Ben was shooing him off. With a brief farewell, Resm was gone, off to do his Emperor duties. What that encompassed today was beyond him. However, the elf did pause for a moment when he found Arc waiting outside the door. Oh. The look on her face betrayed nothing, but Resm knew she had heard bits of it all the same. Giving his old friend a nod, Resm left the two to talk. Arc waited only a moment before knocking gently on the door to Ben's bedroom, the steel of her gauntlets scrapping unhappily against the refurbished wood. "Ben?"

Two weeks were up, and that meant Arc had to finally tackle some things. Big, tall things, to be exactly. Things that were fleshing out again...and looking a bit healthier. Whew. "I didn't want to interrupt...can you walk with me, for a moment?"

He had to wonder how long she had been at the door, not wanting to interrupt, but he nodded, soon at her side as they stepped away from the room. Odd being close to her again. The embrace he received on his return was the closest they had gotten, and that had been it. Benjamin rubbed at his beard, saying, "Didn't think you were coming by. Honestly, I was...thinking of finding you myself. You're always busy with one thing or another, though."

"Joan not with you?" He asked, after a moment. 

"No, she's still in the kitchens with Ursula, no doubt bothering anyone who will stop to listen." Arc smiled a bit at the thought, but did not break her stride as she led Benjamin up to the battlements. This castle had seen a fair share of hardships in the past -- built anew by the remnants of Resm's people, it reflected much of the old, but also introduced new aspects like the sprawling gardens and the contrasting battlements surrounding the fortress. What was open air was now closed, secret, with hidden passages even Ursula didn't know of. But Arc wasn't thinking of that as she leaned against the stone, her face turned towards the ever-rising sun. 

"I have only a moment, so let me be honest with you." She finally said, blue eyed gaze sliding towards Benjamin. "I want you to move in with myself and Joan tonight, if you feel ready. I've....danced around this for too long and it's doing no good. I'm just building up my own fears, needlessly, and I need to finally take that first step." Arc finally broke into a small smile, though her body language still spoke leagues for how nervous she was -- arms crossed, back to him in favor of leaning against the stone, face framed by the sky. "Things won't be perfect, Ben, but they never are. I can deal with imperfection if you're by my side."

"You mean that?" Benjamin asked quietly. But--this was Arc. She didn't say anything if she didn't mean it, always an all or nothing sort of woman. A flicker of warmth grew in his chest, that she was asking him back into her life, into her home. But one little detail niggled at him, and he couldn't help but ask. "Is Joan going to be okay with it?" He didn't know the extent of what Arc had told Joan, if anything at all, about him moving in with the two. Or even if she had told the girl who her father was. "I want to move in...Mother help me, I do. But is it going to be okay with her?"

That was the heart of the worry, wasn't it? Joan's reaction to Ben hadn't been stellar the first time she had seen him, and accepting him into the house as a new adult in her life probably wouldn't go over well either. It was a game of chance, with a child that young. "She's young, so I can't be certain....there are some days she doesn't even like me being in the house." That made Arc crack a laugh. "The most we can do is try, yeah? We'll take things slow, between you and her. There's a whole four years to make up for." Not to mention the gap that had grown between Arc and Ben themselves. That was another problem for another day. 

Finally turning away from the wall, Arc brushed past Ben to return to the castle, stopping only when she realized there should be more said. Fuck, she was rusty. "Can you make it to my house by 6? I'll try to have dinner ready by then, so we can eat together." Arc turned to Ben with a small frown, the closest she had been to the man since their hug two weeks ago. The scent of lavender lingered in the air. "I'll have a servant give you directions, maybe a spare pair of clothing....if you have the time, I'd bring a small something for Joan too. She's spoilt, sorry."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Benjamin said, cracking a small smile. Something for Joan. He'd have to give it some thought as to what exactly, but between now and then, he'd have some time to figure something decent out. If anything, it could act as a peace offering between the two--or a bribe. Just something to smooth things over between them, now that they'd be in close quarters. He looked at her quietly for a moment, before he brushed his hand along hers. Not quite taking it, but just wanting that simple contact. "I got some stuff I can bring from the palace, so don't worry about clothing. Just have someone tell me where to go and I'll be there, at six sharp."

His hand pulled away, fingers twitching as if wanting to curl into hers, but he resisted that urge. There was still that gulf between them, and he had the sense that they needed to take it slow. "I'll try as long as you're willing. It's never been easy, but...hey, that's half the fun, right?"

"She sounds like someone we both know, doesn't she?" A light jab, but the truth in every sense. Arc knew what it was like to live with Ben during the winter -- you didn't approach unless you had something he'd deem acceptable for bothering him over. Joan was thankfully the less extreme. grumbling softly to herself until someone bothered to gift her a sweet or two, no matter the size. Being an only child had it's perks. Though that was a fact Arc would have to bring up, sooner or later -- Benjamin had a second child that lived in Mythos. Oh, Mother guide her when that time comes.

"We've known each other long enough....how hard could it be?" Though Arc said this, she felt a bit like she was lying through her teeth. Her heart had skipped a beat just from Ben's fingers brushing her own -- as if that was anything to blush over! What kind of hard reset was this bullshit? In a rush of confidence, Arc leaned forward and kissed Ben's cheek, letting her lips rest against the scruffy texture of his beard for a moment longer than necessary. "I'll make your favorite tonight."

He didn't need much more convincing from her. The two went their separate ways for the rest of the day, with Benjamin making his own preparations. A hurried trip to the marketplace gave him exactly what he needed, heeding Arc's words of a gift for Joan, and a little something more for her mother. Cleaned up and looking halfway-presentable, he made his way along the directions a servant had so helpfully provided. Benjamin sighed as he reached the door, stopping short as his stomach twisted. It would go fine. It had to go fine. 

No time for second-guessing. His fist rapped hard against the wood of the door, the man steeling himself for what laid inside.

As if Arc's house was some terrible thing. It was rather small -- with it just being her and Joan, originally -- two floors, brick on the outside and wood on the inside, with weapons lining every single bit of wall that was available. The only evidence that Arc had child-proofed at all was the fact that there were rubber caps on each and every tip of the weapons, and the holdings that fastened the weapons in place practically nailed the weaponry itself to the brightly painted walls. Those who visited would not mistake Arc to love anything but her brightly polished swords and axes, but there was a small personal touch -- It was only in the living room that there were little crayon drawings between each weapon, crude things that depicted a mother and her daughter. 

Of course, Ben didn't see that until Arc let him inside, the woman opening the door with a nervous smile of her own. Joan was right between her legs from the moment the door opened, curious until she saw who was standing there. Joan snarled at Benjamin, baby teeth bared, though her growl died as soon as she saw the present in his hand -- then her brown eyes were as big as two moons. "Ooh. Is that mine?" 

"How do you ask nicely?" Arc gently scolded, waiting as Joan shifted from foot to foot with impatience. 

"Hi, please, is that mine?" It wasn't quite perfect, but it would do -- at least the exasperated look of Arc said that that was good enough.

Benjamin wanted to laugh, the corners of his mouth twitching up in a smile. Arc had been right in calling her spoiled, but her blunt manner was almost humorous. He passed her the present, allowing her to tear into it as he pulled out the bottle tucked under his other arm. "It is yours. And this is your mother's." The bottle had cost him a fair bit of coin, but the Northern brew was an old favorite of hers, a drink they shared often enough in the past. Benjamin passed it to Arc, saying, "Thought you might like some with dinner. I see you kept up your pigsticker collection..."

He ran a finger along a rubber-tipped ax, glancing at the crayon drawing underneath. Weapons and children's drawings wasn't the usual combination, but...it was Arc. It worked for her. Benjamin looked up, just in time to see Joan brandishing the practice shield with glee, unable to quite look Arc in the eyes. "Figured you'd have raised her to love fighting as much as you do..."

 

"I didn't even have to try, with her. A natural warrior. Who will use her shield outside," The warning tone was enough to send Joan squealing into the backyard, where she viciously slammed her new shield into a few trees. "It's a lovely gift, Ben. And I appreciate this too." Arc held up the bottle and turned it slowly in her hands, the weight of the liquid a familiar memory. "We may as well welcome this nostalgia with a familiar drink, no?" 

In the kitchen Arc poured them both a glass, the earlier nervousness replaced with a slow appreciation. Her eyes trailed up and down his form in obvious admiration, though Arc was nothing to scoff at that night either. She had traded her new, shiny armor in for a low-cut top tucked into a slimming high-waisted skirt. She looked good, always had, but especially tonight, with a shy mood to her that kept her continuously hiding behind her mountain of red hair. 

On the stove was the steak they'd be having for dinner -- one piece rare, one piece medium --and a simmering bowl of mixed vegetables and rice for them all to share. It was simple, filling, and good with a bottle of wine, just as they both liked. "What do you think of the house?" Arc asked suddenly, listening to the meat sizzle, "I ended up moving out of the apartment soon after Joan was born." 

"The old place just wasn't big enough, I imagine." Benjamin said, nursing the glass of wine in his hand. She had picked a good one, and with the steak, he felt himself settling into a very happy state, even without dinner being served just yet. He was an easy man to keep happy, the warmth of the earlier drink mixing with the wine. "I like it. Bigger. You didn't have a backyard at the old place..." He glanced up at a shout from outdoors, Joan likely playing some game of make believe. By the sounds of it, she was keeping soldiers at bay, protecting some innocent. "Bet she loves it. Joan...doesn't seem the type of kid to wanna stay cooped up inside all day."

Benjamin looked back to Arc, taking in her all in. She hadn't changed a bit, it felt like. "It's a nice place. Plenty of room?"

"Enough room for a werebear, I think." Arc left it at that, bringing the drink to her lips and taking a small sip. Plenty of room for another child, too, if they so wanted. That was definitely another conversation for another day, and Arc had a feeling Ben would be content once he really got to know Joan. "As for my little cub, well," In a blink of an eye, Joan was barreling through the living room, rolling until she landed in her shield in a fit of giggles. In another blink, she was back outside -- the unmistakable stench of magic sat in the air, and a light burn of a rune sat on the living room wood. "I couldn't keep her inside if I tried." 

So not cursed, but she definitely had a touch of magic, that much was obvious as she somehow managed from one end of the garden to the other in mere seconds. Most would blame it on the trick of the light, or a child's energy, but no -- Joan was definitely using her magic in a crude, but effective, way. Just like her Ma, in that sense, she was using portals to jump to wherever she needed. "She has magic. But she's all human....so far." 

"...you'd know by now if she took after me." Benjamin said quietly, to shoo any worries away. It wasn't a trait passed on, except in extreme circumstances, but it was something that presented very, very early on. From his mother's stories, he knew he had shifted within his first year--terrifying for his family, and luckily without rejection. Others weren't as fortunate. 

He watched Joan play, her magic adding another element of fun to it all, as he said, "If I recall, you used to avoid those portals because a person going through didn't always come out...whole. Finally perfected it, huh?" He couldn't imagine Arc would allow her firstborn to play so recklessly without making absolutely sure it was safe. Still, it was impressive, his sharp eyes tracking Joan as she went. "She's good. You teach her plenty, I'll guess?"

Gentle questions, carefully stated. But a good chance for any loving parent to brag. Benjamin wouldn't deny he wanted to learn about Joan, her little quirks and oddities, and to head Arc only made it a better path to follow. But he soon couldn't help but ask.

"Did you ever tell her about me?"

"That's a bit of a relief....the world hardly needs a magically gifted werebear." Arc let out a small sigh of relief, that idea having weighed on her for some time. Not that she would have rejected a werecreature child, but things would have been even harder, as she had little experience in how to help them through all the changes their bodies were adapting to. Magic....magic she could handle. "As for me, I did not perfect anything. My portals will very much still kill you if you jump through. Her magic is just slightly different, better suited for people than non-living things. Why it's shaped that way, I don't know. Magic has a way of being frustrating." 

"But for her to master her magic at this age is amazing." Ah, here came the gloating. "Not even four and we've already had to place a limiter on her, just imagine how strong she'll be as an adult! Joan's perception of location is awful, but hell, that doesn't matter if she can rapid fire portals like she can! I helped a little, here and there, but she's so smart too, oh, she didn't even need it!" Loving parent indeed, that adoration shining in Arc's eyes bright enough to blind any other parent. "...but she did figure out that families are usually two people."

"Questions were asked." Questions were left unanswered. Sometimes kids were really easy to please -- sometimes kids were like Joan and stubborn as hell. "All the stories I told her about you -- well, we thought you were dead. The person she knows as Da is dead. I can't even imagine what she thinks of you, Ben." Arc gave a small shake of her head. "I...want her to think of you as her father. I just don't know how long that will take." 

"...we got nothing but time now." Benjamin said. And it would take time, and more. But he wanted to work at it, something that surprised even himself. He glanced at her, hands laced together in his lap, as he said honestly, "She's a smart kid, and she'll eventually put two and two together on who I am. In the meantime...shit. We'll keep at it. Work on her own pace, maybe, or whatever we gotta do. I wanna be part of this life of yours...and hers. It ain't gonna be easy." He wasn't a stupid man, and knew it would have its rough days. "But...Arc, I'm tired as hell of waiting in that castle. And if I stay any longer, I gotta suffer through Resm's high and mightier attitude, when I can be here with you, learning about her."

He snorted softly. "Besides...I stay any longer, and he's likely to start charging me rent."

Arc cracked a laugh at that, knowing Resm would never dare. But Ben probably spoke the truth about his mental state, and though Arc thought she had made herself clear back at the castle, perhaps a reminder was necessary. "I meant what I said, Benjamin Kirkwall. I want you to stay here from tonight onward. No more Resm. No more avoiding. Just...time, to work out everything there is to figure out." And though the words scared her to hell and back, Arc knew it was good, to try this again, to make something of what they once had. Time had once been their enemy but now it was their only hope. She moved closer to Ben, linking her hand in his own and squeezing gently. "No more waiting. Now we work."

With the hope that Ben understood what she was getting at, Arc turned away to finish the rest of the dinner preparations, saying lightly, "I took off the next three days so it could be just us time. We'll go to the market tomorrow, buy you the things you still need, and go from there. I know Resm gave you a few gifts but it's always better if you have a say in the matter." She brushed back a lock of hair and nodded towards the garden. "Will you get Joan? Dinner's ready."

Benjamin nodded, standing to get the girl inside. As he passed, he stopped and brushed a kiss to her cheek, hand lingering on her waist for a moment, before he headed to the backdoor. Right as the portal popped open, Joan bursting through, he caught her before she could jump through another. "Woah, slow down! Your mother's telling me it's time for you to come eat." Benjamin set her down gently, as he said, "Gotta do something with that shield, I don't think Arc wants it at the table."

He got a good, honest look at her, a faint laugh escaping him. Mother, if it wasn't a small blessing she took after Arc in the looks department. He wouldn't wish his scowling mug on any child, let alone a girl. Granted, the scowl he was getting was a pretty good imitation…

Joan looked ready to bite Benjamin, squirming in his grasp until she felt the chilling gaze of her mother brush over her. With a disgusted snort, Joan finally stopped struggling and grasped the shield tight to her body. "I'll put it in my room!" She was gone again, in the blink of an eye, seen next running down the stairs with no shield in hand. Arc helped the young girl up to wash her hands before grabbing her a plate to pile with food. Joan had the combined appetite of both her parents, it seemed. 

In the smallest of blessings, Joan waited for everyone to sit at the table before she started to slowly eat, taking her time to chew carefully and keep her elbows off the table. Arc didn't care what her manners were like so long as she behaved during meals, it seemed. The girl was so concentrated on eating that she was quiet and well behaved for probably the instance a day -- Arc looked relieved, which meant that wasn't always the case. 

"Do you like your shield, Joan?" Arc finally asked. Joan swallowed her last bite of vegetables and took a nervous glance at Ben. 

"Sword would be better." Joan paused. "I like it though."

"Arc would've skinned me alive if I had gotten you that." Benjamin said dryly, cutting into his steak. He took a drink of the whiskey he had brought for Arc and him to share, before adding, "Glad you liked it. I figured if there was one thing you were taught, was how to handle on.

Joan grunted in response, a child of few words when it came to speaking to Benjamin. She kept glancing back at Arc, as if she was confused, wondering who he was and why he was eating dinner with them. Seeing her concern, Arc reached out and smoothed down Joan's hair. "You're very good at it, already. How many people did you save?"

"A hundred!" Joan burst with excitement, a question she finally wanted to answer. "No -- two hundred! One million!" When Arc only laughed, Joan huffed and puffed, tapping her hands impatiently on the wooden kitchen table. "I would have! Saved more! If I had a sword!" She babbled on and on about her 10-minute adventure, until finally Arc bade her to finish the meal set before her. 

"Alright little cub, it's getting close to bedtime. You'll finish the story in the morning, OK? Clean up and get to bed. I'll tuck you in soon." With all the grace of a four-year old, Joan finished eating and hurried upstairs, pausing at the stairway to gaze at Ben. She didn't say anything, though, just ran upstairs to put on her pjs. Arc glanced down at her daughter's sparkling plate and smiled, standing to clean the kitchen. "You want the last of the steak?" 

"Tuck it away and I might do something with it tomorrow." Benjamin said, getting up to help her. He didn't feel right just sitting idly by as she worked, even if he had absolutely no idea where anything was. Floundering for a moment, he settled for washing the dishes as she worked on cleaning the counters. "...she's a riot and a half, huh? Could hardly keep up with that story she was telling."

Benjamin chuckled, scrubbing away at the dishes. "She's definitely your daughter. Makes me think of when we first met...she's got that little glare you do, where you scrunch up your nose."

 

"No!" Arc gasped with the indignity of it all, her look of mock horror replaced when she started to laugh. "Well, maybe I've seen the similarities there. But you cannot tell me that her tendancy to bite is my fault, too." With the last of the plates drying or sitting up in the cabinets, Arc poured herself one last lick of whiskey and gently took Ben's hand. Dinner was fine, chatting was fine, but everything tended to take a different meaning at night. "Let me show you where you'll be sleeping." Joan's bedroom was light was still on, and she even poked out her head accusingly, but Arc promised her just one more minute.

Oh. Ben was sleeping in the master bedroom.....with Arc. Well. "I hope this will do. We don't really have another bed and I'm not about to make you sleep on the couch." Arc glanced over her room with a satisfied look -- she must have cleaned in preparation for his arrival. "I've cleared out half the dresser for you to use and there's room in the restroom too. I'll be right back." Her heart pounding a mile per minute, the woman hurried off to read Joan her bedtime story. It wasn't long before she returned, though, looking disheartened. "2 minutes and she's out. There was too much magic before dinner, I suppose...."

With bedclothes now in hand, Arc was finally faltering. Ben had seen her naked plenty of times, and the difference in this current situation was obvious to any person involved. Deciding not to draw out the awkwardness, Arc retreated to the bathroom and changed there, emerging in her natural, plain state. She still looked beautiful, even in a loose sleeping gown. Unfortunately (fortunately?) for Arc, it hugged all the right places. The bed was too good to ignore for long, Arc tucking herself in so that she left a whole third person's worth of room to sit between herself and Ben. "...do you think you'll have nightmares?" 

In the time she had taken to change into her own night clothes, he had stripped down to his usual bedtime affair--no shirt, a soft pair of sleep pants, and he slowly sank into the bed on the other side of her. The distance between them remained, as he laid on his back, his eyes on the ceiling and hands laced across his chest. He confessed, "Probably. I've been...handling them. If you're worried about being woken up..." He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes with a sigh. "...Unless you're a light sleeper, you won't even know."

There was a moment of silence, before Benjamin muttered quietly, "...before tonight, I wondered if you would even want--this." He gestured to himself. He was filling out again, through plenty of hard work on Benjamin's part and lots of healthy meals, but the bulk wasn't entirely there. The scars along his body said plenty of his time away, and the heavy peppering of grey in his hair and beard had aged him. "Wanted to give you the man I was."

Oh, that was unfair. Arc stared at him a moment more before sitting up halfway and closing the distance between them. Her ocean of red hair pooled between them, a few strands even curling against his neck and arm, as Arc looked down at him. "Hey." Her voice was quiet, filled with understanding instead of pity. When she had asked about nightmares, it was only because she was in the same position, and hoped they wouldn't wake him. "The man you were is still in there. He's just a little different now. Same as me." Arc gently took Ben's hand in her own and bent to kiss his cheek. "I'll love you in whatever shape or form you return to me as, Benjamin. Know that." 

"Besides..." Arc pulled back and ran a curious finger through the gray parts of his beard. "The gray is growing on me. It makes you look like a grizzled warrior." Growing still, Arc slowly brought her eyes up to meet Ben's, and gave him a little smile when their gazes locked. Any farther over and Arc would be straddling him -- that'd be a real good way to let him know, then and there, that she loved this Ben just as much. "...I can't ask of you what I can't give myself, Benjamin." 

His hand rose to cup her cheek, thumb rubbing along the soft skin. Benjamin sat up, not content with kisses to the cheek, as he pressed his lips to hers. A damn fine woman, one he often wondered if he even deserved, was hovering over him, and Mother, if he wasn't tempted...but no. He satisfied himself with the kiss, soft and warm before he sank back into the bed, his touch lingering along her face. Another thing they could work on, when the time was right. Being able to reach out, to touch her and hold her close, that was enough for him. 

He sighed, his voice rough as he murmured, "Mother help me, I'm just glad to be here with you."

"Welcome home." Arc said in reply, kissing him once more before laying back in bed. What she would give to have the courage to give him a Northern welcome home -- the one she had promised, ages ago. Now didn't feel like the right moment, and the fact that Benjamin was OK with that comforted Arc. As she curled against him, a feeling of undeniable comfort swept through her. And though Arc normally had at least one nightmare crawl into her sleep, that night passed by peacefully, for the first time in ages. Though she could live without Ben, there was no mistaking the light he brought back into her world.

Come morning, though, Arc fell into the old routine, half-blinded with sleepiness and running through the motions until she realized she had just left the house with Joan in tow and Ben still asleep upstairs. Cursing her half-asleep blunder, Arc turned them right back around to the house and worked on waking Ben up. "Good morning...time to wake up." She murmured, carding her hand through his sleep-tousled locks. "Breakfast is waiting for you downstairs." And while he ate, Arc would have to change out of the castle uniform she had put on out of habit. Today was her day off, damnit. 

It took some time before he went from dead asleep to fully awake, staring muzzily at the coffee in his hands, but he eventually achieved it, soon able to smirk about the fact that Arc had such a routine that she had actually gotten fully dressed for a day's work. Full from breakfast and soon relaxing in the morning sunshine that permeated the kitchen, Benjamin said, "So you mentioned something about us grabbing clothing, supplies and all that for me?" He glanced up at her. "I've got coin tucked away...somewhere, but I could probably do with a bit more than what I've got on hand..."

Arc looked good in the castle uniform, but she looked even cuter in her casual wear, a pair of tight pants and a pure-black tunic with lacing. Now all she had to do was make sure Ben had good clothes to wear too. "That's right. I've cleared out the space for you in the house...now you just have to fill it. So anything you can think of, anything at all, that you might need, I want you to write down and we'll go searching for it." With paper and pencil pushed in front of him, Arc went to play with Joan, if just to wear her out a little before they set off. 

A child with teleportation magic in a busy bazaar was uh not a good thing. 

With Joan racing ahead of them, the family set off on their shopping adventures. One of the first things to recover during the war was the steady stream of supplies -- the bazaar had bounced back twice as hard, though the prices were still unreasonable in certain parts of Mythos. Thankfully the bustling energy of the Iron City kept shopkeeps from gouging their prices, a fact that Resm knew meant he was damn lucky. Since it was the middle of a work day, the crowds were sparse and the shopkeeps relatively moody. They didn't yell out their wares like usual, which made for a more calming experience. Though Joan was definitely a familiar face, and not in the good way, people huffing and puffing in her direction. Joan just frowned at them and gripped Arc's hand tighter. 

Last stop would be clothing since it was heaviest, so they stopped to get Ben's stationary and a few other things from the general store. "Joan, honey, why don't you pick out one thing sweet." Oooh, Joan lit up when Arc said that, the little girl quick to scurry to her favorite line of crates. "Hopefully that will keep her hands busy while we're out..."

"But at what cost?" Benjamin asked. Joan was an energetic child enough as it was, he didn't want to imagine what sugar might do to her. He put his purchases on the counter, counting out the coin needed to pay, as he said, "This place is in good shape, considering everything. I would have thought Resm would be at his wits' end, trying to keep trade flowing smoothly." He glanced up, curious. "Any food shortages? With the South fallen, that's a pretty significant chunk of grain being used by the other army."

He turned to look at Joan, still figuring out what exactly what she wanted. "Come on, kid. Pick something and let's go, yeah?" He slid a few extra coins to the shopkeeper, saying, "Put this towards what she's grabbing, keep the change, yeah?"

"You saw the price of bread, didn't you?" Arc tried not to openly sigh at the thought -- what she would give for a nice loaf of buttered bread right now. It went good with any dish, literally, and Joan loved the stuff. Placing her own purchases on the counter -- which included, but was not limited to, one giant ass plant and a tea infuser -- Arc glanced back just in time to see Joan pick out a big gobstopper. The child looked proud of herself as she placed it on the counter, watching the ball roll slowly across the wood as the teller rung them up. "Joan, don't go chewing on that." 

"I know!" Joan huffed before stuffing it in her mouth, staring Arc in the eye as she moved it from cheek to cheek. It was too big for her to properly close her mouth -- yay no choking -- so the girl just looked ridiculous. Arc held back a snort at the sight. She focused her attention instead on hauling the plant off the counter and figuring out where the clothing section of the bazaar was. "It's not all bad. We managed to clear a trade route just a year back that had previously closed up the heart of Mythos. Ben, gods, that was bad." 

 

"At least you got it back." Ben pointed out. For every mile the invading army stole from them, he knew that Mythos was fighting to take back every inch they could. He eyed the plant, wondering what the hell she had plans for with it. Decoration? Focusing back at the task at hand, he followed after her lead, assuming rightly that she would eventually find the clothing section. "The humans can't stay here forever. Mother knows the dragons aren't taking their presence without a fight."

As they entered the part of the bazaar that held richly embroidered fabrics and bolts of silk, Benjamin made a face and pressed further on, until they found a shop that sold the basics. Linens and wool, nothing too extravagant and exactly what he needed.

"Alright, have at it. Yell if you need me, in particular." Arc didn't seem to want to watch Benjamin play dress up -- probably because she had a small child to watch in the meantime. Understandable. She sat down her plant and went to grab up Joan, playing chase with her daughter while they waited on Ben. It was only when they passed a child's booth that Arc got distracted too, an evil glint in her eye.

 

Clothes selected and paid for, Benjamin gathered up his purchases before going to find Arc. He paused a moment, grabbing the plant she had just paid for, grumbling about forgetful women and having to haul around their things. He caught sight of her, shifting the pot in his arms while trying to hold onto his bags. "There you are--take the damn thing, I ain't got enough arms here." Cussing under his breath, he tried to pass it to her without dropping it. That would be a fine way to end the day. "What the hell is it, something to keep bugs out of the house or what?"

"Oi, you watch that tone." Arc bit back her reply, taking the plant and placing it on the ground, away from the neatly folded clothing. Last thing she needed was the vendor getting mad at them for spilling dirt all over her cute clothing. Joan watched the two adults bicker with wide eyes, turning away only when she decided she wanted to check out her reflection again. Must be nice to be a carefree child. Arc elbowed Ben in the side, not quite looking at him as she said, "It's a moon plant, Ben. You know that." 

Arc had a few of the plants when they were last together -- it was easier to make your own moonbrew sometimes than continuously buying it from the market. What he thought of it, Arc didn't know, but she felt her ears turn pink all the same. "Why don't you help Joan pick something out?" It was the distraction Arc needed, Joan shyly peeking back at them at the sound of her name.

The request pulled Benjamin out of staring at her and the plant. Well, shit. If that intent wasn't obvious, he didn't know what to think. Suitably chastised, he headed over to Joan for the monumental task of helping a child pick something out, something he would grow to dread in future years thanks to children's inability to decide and so easily distracted from what they currently wanted. He sighed, rubbing his neck, before looking to Joan. The two stood in front of the children's booth, Benjamin shifting from foot to foot awkwardly. How did one talk to a child?

He sighed and looked down at her. She was old enough that baby talk would likely only earn him a dirty look, something she excelled in as it was. He tried as though she were an adult, able to keep up with him as good as her mother did. "Alright. So what should we get?"

"I want a hat." Joan held only three in her tiny hands, but looked satisfied with none of them. "But they are all ugly and I can't see the others." Though she had a ball of sugar in her mouth Joan was still getting sour, looking up angrily at the too-tall booth. All the hats currently missing were clutched in her hands, having been just far off the edge that she could grab them with ease. "I want a white hat. Like ma." Joan paused, quiet as she finally added. "With a bow! A rainbow bow!" 

The vendor on the other side of the table looked a bit dismayed at that -- seems like she didn't have anything like that. "If you would bring me some rainbow fabric, I'd be happy to make the little girl the hat she wants." Arc, far enough in the distance to not hear details, glanced up in question. What was taking so long?

Benjamin raised a brow at the list of growing demands. A hat, white, like her mother's, and with a rainbow bow. He gave the vendor a wry glance, trying to convey his apologies over Joan calling the hats in her hands ugly, as he very carefully took them from her and placed them back where they belonged. "If you just give me a moment..."

For a moment, he disappeared into the steadily growing crowd of the market, sighing as he headed back to the finer end of the bazaar. A bolt of fabric was purchased, eye-searingly bright, and immediately dropped into the vendor's hands. Without waiting, Benjamin scooped Joan up under the arms to allow her a chance to see the variety of hats on the stall, saying, "Alright. You pick the one you want, and she'll get it all fixed up."

Joan took three more agonizing minutes before finally picking the biggest, floppiest white hat of them all. With more careful instructions, the rainbow ribbon was tied just so around the hat until it looked as if it were made by the gods themselves. Before Ben could offer to pay for it, Arc tapped his hand down and out of the way, laughing as she paid for her daughter's downright amazing hat. Still happily perched on her father's shoulder, Joan clung tight to his head as they walked home together.

It was only with the promise of a nice pretzel that Joan climbed back down, nibbling on the carbs happily. Arc tried not to think about the price so much as she watched her daughter eat happily. Today had been good, and tonight would too, or so Arc hoped. "That was really sweet of you. Thanks, Ben." Arc finally said, leaning up to give him a kiss on the lips. 

"As long as she's happy with it." Benjamin said, tugging gently at the end of the bow's tails to pull the hat ever so slightly askew on Joan's head. He chuckled at the look he received, before returning the kiss for Arc and offering his hand to Joan. "Thinking it's time we headed back. Got everything we needed, and then some."

"I didn't even get to check what you bought." Arc realized, casting a suspicious glance at the bags sitting beside him. That would have to change, come tonight. If he bought any more tartan, Arc swore to the Mother, that man would learn the beauty of simple one-color notes. Joan wormed her other hand into Arc's and immediately got lifted up by her two parents, the girl giggling as she flailed her legs in the open air. Up and down she went, until finally she demanded they stop, a mere 5 minutes from the house.

Just as Ben predicted, Arc was looking exhausted and Joan was starting to get her second wind. In a pop, Joan was gone from the house, reappearing in the kitchen to stare up at her mother, dress bunched up in her hands. "Can I go show Tii my hat?" 

"Mhmm. Tell Ian hi." Arc watched as Joan disappeared from the kitchen, biting back a yawn as she waited for Joan to pop back. "I'll let my brother deal with her for a moment." Arc plopped down in a chair and stared at their goodies laid out on the kitchen table. "Can I see what you got?"

Benjamin laid it all out for her inspection, vaguely under the impression it all had to meet her approval or he'd be sent out again for other clothing. Only one tartan was found, the rest of it basic trousers and tunics, a few button up shirts and a pair of boots that could be worn anywhere. Clothing that would let him blend into the crowd, as well as a man his size could, rather than allowing his usual appearance part a crowd to his destination. He had meant what he said about giving up his old life, trying for some degree of normality. 

Benjamin sat back in the chair, his arms folded. "To your approval?"

"Looks good." Arc was impressed with the varying degree of normal he had managed to produce. And she liked him walking around shirtless, that was fine, but the whole of the Iron City might feel a bit differently. So it was good to see him covering up just a touch. Ben didn't have to know, but there was also a nice afterthought to shirts that could be completely unbuttoned -- if just for a bit of allure. Not that Arc had ever imagined Ben necking her while her hands shakily undid each and every button on his soft shirt until finally it revealed that toned body she had longed for...

Ahem.

"I still have one of your kilts upstairs, too. I don't know if you saw it." Arc ran a hand over the top shirt -- damnit, it was soft as hell. "I should have insisted on another pair of boots too. You'll wear these to hell, won't you?" Arc was just waiting for the inevitable pop! that would snap her out of everything, would return her back to her last four years of only motherhood, but Joan had yet to crash her way into the living room. Tii must really be praising her hat. Arc's gaze fell on the moon plant. There was that, too. "...You don't have to give up all of your old life, Ben." 

"Ain't giving all of it up." Benjamin said quietly. "A lot of it...coming to realize it wasn't anything I wanted to keep. Where'd it leave me, huh?" He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's a chapter I'm looking to close on my life, Arc. Maybe there'll be days when I miss it, but at this point, I'm kinda enjoying the quiet life. After all the shit I've done and seen, with you or without, I think I've damn well earned myself something like this. As soon as I figure out what this really is."

He slipped a hand around her waist, tugging her close as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his body radiating heat as always. "I'll be wearing the kilts from time to time. Maybe a li'l dressier than usual, but I'm thinking you'll be just fine with that."

"I'm that easy to read, huh?" Arc laughed, but her heart was skipping a few beats,body automatically curving to fit his silhouette. It was good to hear that neither one of them really knew that this was, just that it felt good. Love felt a bit like this. And though that was where they had ended, the four years had not been kind to them -- Arc knew their love would bloom again. But the hard reset left them with something a bit more...basic. 

Hearing the telltale pop! of Joan's portal, Arc quickly pulled away from Ben's embrace to see where her little girl had popped up. "Tii liked my hat! So did Uncle and Aunty." Joan was quick to say, hopping into the kitchen with little read on the mood in the room, which halted as soon as she returned. Once again, Joan was at the center of attention, claiming it easily as she pranced around the kitchen. "Can we go again sometime?"

"But you!" Joan turned accusingly to Ben, her finger pointed right up at him. "Who are you anyways?"

Ah. The big question. Benjamin looked a bit helplessly at Arc for back up, hoping to find any hint on how he should respond. Joan thought her father dead, and he wasn't sure he could make her believe he stood alive in front of her. But...no time like the presence, and he had the idea that if he lied to her, the little girl in front of him would hold a grudge for miles. He rested his hands on his hips, clearing his throat as he said, "Your father, more or less. Ain't been much of one the past few years, but..."

He sank to one knee, eye level with the girl, and flicked up her hat so it sat jauntily along her head, the ribbon dangling down her back. He gave her a small smile. "I'm...looking to fix that."

"Pfft." Joan laughed in his face. Like straight up laughed. "Yeah right!" Perhaps from an older child, you could have expected a lick of mean, or even anger in their response, but with a child near 4, there wasn't much room for understanding. "You're too tall to be my daddy. Ma is short! Daddy has to be short too!" Joan looked absolutely certain of her deduction, enough so she crossed her arms haughtily and laughed again. 

Mother guide her, Arc prayed silently. Of all the responses available, this one was relatively harmless. "He really is your daddy, Joan."

"Nope! Nuh uh. Daddy is short." Her blessed gospel laid on the two of them, Joan gathered up her skirts and marched upstairs. "So goodnight!" 

Benjamin hung his head, shoulders shaking in a rare bout of laughter. She sounded so sure of herself, and such a revelation didn't even shake her foundations of what she believed. He stood up once more, quiet laughter turning into soft chuckles. "Well, she wasn't too bothered by that. Definitely has your hard-headed style about the facts of life." 

None too worried now, he gathered up his purchases to fold and take upstairs, daring a glance at the plant Arc had bought. Making her own moonbrew...well, shit, if that didn't have high hopes for the future. "She'll figure it out on her own time. Kids are...really something, aren't they?"

"It's a wonder the Mother herself didn't bless me with a few more moon plants." Arc scoffed, hiding her own laughter behind her hand. Good gods, this child. "If you really wish for something to laugh over, ask her the difference between cats and dogs. Now you go upstairs, too, I have some things to finish in the kitchen." Her hands were hovering suspiciously near the moon plant, as if she was waiting for Ben to turn so she could get to work. Ben could call Arc out on her love of kilts any day but she wasn't quite ready to have him watch her boil up moonbrew. The future? Ben was getting laid tonight, if Arc could help it. 

Benjamin nodded, taking his new clothes upstairs. They were tucked away in the drawer Arc had provided for him, and he made a show of folding, arranging them, all of it, trying to keep his mind off the brewing process that may or may not have been happening downstairs. It felt a little too good to be true, and after a moment, he ducked his head outside the bedroom door to squint down the hall. Joan looked like she would have a knack for interruptions, especially with that little portal hopping ability of hers. Satisfied, he ducked back inside, plopping down on the bed to relax a moment or two.

"MOM!" It wasn't but a minute latter Joan was barging inside, all a-huff because no one had bothered to tuck her in or read her a bedtime story. She stood in the doorway with an accusatory look to her, book clutched to her chest like a shield. Obviously Mom was downstairs, but still Joan frowned at Ben, as if he had nerve staying in Arc's bedroom. Gall, even. "Do you even read?" Perhaps it was supposed to come off as a request for Ben to read to her, but instead came out just as it sounded. Thankfully, it wasn't long before Arc made her way upstairs, two very obvious steaming cups of tea in hand. 

"Little cubs don't go around asking people if they can read." She scolded lightly, obviously holding in a pained laugh. "Get in bed. I'll be right there." Once Joan had returned to her room, Arc set both the mugs on the bedside table and glanced nervously at Ben. "...Tea, if you want it." Then she was off to read to Joan. Thankfully the girl was still young, so most of her stories only took 10 minutes at most, but by the time Arc had read through 3 of them the little girl still showed no signs of sleep. 

It was time to play her favorite game. "Joan," Arc said, "show Mommy how fast you can jump from here to the castle and back." By the time Joan landed back in her bed, she was asleep on contact. This game was Arc's favorite -- because after a long day of play, portal jumping that distance was all it took to completely drain Joan of her magic and thus lead her right to sleep. Arc was a good parent. She just, ah, knew the shortcuts to a few things. 

Arc returned to her bedroom only after tucking Joan in and giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. It was her turn to stare at Ben from the doorway, shifting from foot to foot. Was his mug empty? She couldn't tell. "Joan's asleep." 

"Passed right out, huh?" Benjamin asked, shifting so he could sit up on the bed, cross-legged and arms resting against his thighs. He glanced at the empty space beside him, as if to prompt her gently forward. There wasn't much point in her standing so far off. "Heard those little pops. Is that your secret?"

"Hopefully it doesn't mark me as an awful parent. But it's almost necessary when she would otherwise transport herself in here any time of the night..." Arc took her seat next to Ben in bed, picking up her forgotten mug as she did so. The water had long gone cold, but it would still work -- just taste a bit more bitter going down. She took a small sip and confirmed her suspicious with a frown. Bleh. "So if you ever need to watch her for whatever reason and she's refusing to sleep, that's your golden ticket." 

Following the natural silence, Arc took a few bigger gulps of her moonbrew, the taste lessening in horridness the more she drank. But it was a bit unnerving, to drink with Ben waiting. "....Do you want this, Ben? I hadn't even -- I should have asked." Arc laughed nervously at the thought, mug clasped between her two hands. "You've been through so much, this is probably the last thing on your mind --"

"Arc, come on." He stopped her, resting a hand along the small of her back, thumb rubbing tiny circles along her skin. "You think I wouldn't have said something if I didn't want this?" Alright, there was maybe a bit of bravado going on there. It had been years, their shared intimacy from their time before long since gone. They had to relearn everything about one another, and the thought was rather intimidating, even for him. In a sense, both were strangers to each other, however familiar. Quiet, he leaned forward, catching her chin as he stole a kiss from her. "I want this. I want you."

There it was, the long and short of it. However they managed it, he'd be happy. As long as by the end of the night, if they fell asleep in each other's arms, that would be alright in his book. His kiss grew warmer, more greedy, his hands resting along her waist to pull her forward. 

Even if he said it wasn't necessary to clarify, Arc still felt a little bit relieved when Benjamin stated exactly what he wanted. They would have to start simply, with the lingering promise of more later, but Arc didn't mind the simplicity of it. Cup safely placed on the bedside table, Arc fell into Ben's arms and held herself there, pressed against his warmth. "I want you, too." She was able to murmur only that before kissing him again, the two of them crushed against one another, the physicality of their actions finally giving the two some peace of mind. Ben was home, he was here, and he wanted to stay here the rest of his days. Arc wanted to cry at the thought.

Instead she kissed him, kissed him to make up for all those years she missed him and longed for him and wondered if he was even alive. Ben's hands rested on her waist for now, but Arc was greedy too, fingers trailing down his chest, desperate for contact of any kind. It was too bad she hadn't had time to change into her pjs just yet, that may have been a nice surprise. "You...you drank the moonbrew, right?"

"Yes, Arc, I drank the moonbrew." Benjamin said, as if reciting an answer for a schoolteacher. He snorted, pressing kisses along her jaw and trailing down her neck, his breath ticklish against her skin. "Next time we're putting sugar in that mess. Tastes fucking awful."

"It's supposed to. We're having a baby shortage in Mythos, after all." Arc laughed along, knowing in her heart she wasn't ready for another kid. Not yet. Not when Joan was still so young, and very much the apple of her eye. Unfortunately for them, halfway through Arc flinging off her tunic, the crystal on her bedside table activated, glowing a soft purple and then emitting a small alarm siren. Arc lay back with a huff, her tits out and ready to party, but worked called. "What is it, Resm?" Not work not work not work not work please.

"Terribly sorry to bother you." It was Resm, that was clear, his tone bored on the other line. "But there's been a bit of a scramble at the Lost Hills and I may need you to come in tomorrow morning to create a new strategy. The troops have managed a bit of an advantage for the moment, but I am unsure if it will hold through the night." 

With a longing look at Ben, Arc picked up the crystal and spoke into it softly, saying, "What was the breaking point? They'd been at a standstill for a whole month now." There was a few more exchanges between the two before Resm finally contended with the makeshift strategy Arc provided, the light in the room dying as the crystal became quiet. "...Sorry." Arc finally murmured, almost scared to look at Ben. "Nothing really ruins the mood like war." 

"Does he have a little buzzer that goes off if you're about to get laid?" Benjamin snorted, before he pulled her into his arms. Short of a child bursting into the room, he wasn't about to be deterred. Four years was long enough without her, and he intended to enjoy the night with her. His hand ran along her side, cupping her backside as he drew her close. "If you're still up for it..."

"I...yeah." Arc smiled at Ben's needy tilt, turning around to give him a soft kiss before falling into his arms fully. "We have a lot to make up for....best start now." Even kissing was relatively rediscovered between them, so Arc tried not to be self-conscious as they met again and again to kiss, eventually growing bold. It wasn't taking hardly anything at all to get Arc feeling tingly, but it did help that they were both already half naked. Ah, Mother guide her. Breaking away from Ben for a moment, Arc cleared her throat and met his gaze. 

"Four years was a long time, so if you had certain.....fantasies....that kept you goin, I wouldn't mind so much helping those become a reality." Not that Arc spoke from experience here, nope, not at all. She definitely didn't have one scenario buried deep inside her mind that she would casually bring to light anytime she got lonely. 

How could he explain to her that he was living his fantasies right now? Benjamin stole another kiss from her, his thigh sliding between her thighs, before he tugged her so that she rested on top of him. His hands gripped along her sturdy thighs, guiding up along her hips, as he said, "You know...I did have one." 

Mother help him, if he didn't miss the sight of her on top of him. And the thought of her riding him that night, after so long...he shifted underneath her, aware of how hard he grew, and how embarrassingly quickly. If he finished the moment he entered her, he'd never live it down. But he ground up against her to make his desire clear, murmuring, "I know you. Still got some energy left somewhere..."

"H-hah." Arc stifled her half-laugh, half-moan when Ben rolled his hips against her's, through sheer force of will. Maybe it was a good thing she was so sensitive -- if she came multiple times tonight (as she was sure to, Mother help her) that would surely be a good mood boost for Ben. It would damn well be a good mood boost for her, but that went without saying. Fighting off the urge to curse, Arc simply leaned forward and worked off the last of her clothing. After a moment, she nudged Ben until he did the same.

Being perched in his lap made it easy to grind back against his cock, a feeling Arc thought she would never be able to relive. But the familiarity of it was starting to dawn on her, warmth growing in her belly and her heart, as her hand found his cock. It was a featherlight touch, gone in a moment, as Arc pressed herself to Ben's chest and claimed another kiss. "...can you stretch me?"

Benjamin's hand slipped between her thighs, as he pushed himself up, Arc still perched easily in his lap. His kisses grew hungry, greedy, his fingers teasing along her cunt, rubbing firmly one moment, then just the barest of touches the next, maddening and fantastic all at the same time. His thumb at her clit, he worked her along one finger, stroking the firm walls inside her cunt, as he muttered, "Gods--fuck, you're tight." The heat surrounding his hand, soon wet from her slick cunt, was intense, and he wanted to just bury himself in it, be it cock or tongue or finger. Anything to earn those cries of pleasure from the woman in his arms.

His lips traveled down her neck and chest, leaving little red marks from rougher kisses, easing her to take two fingers now. His cock twitched at the wet noise, painfully hard to the touch, and he couldn't help the unsteady moan that fell from his mouth.

Both hands clung to his shoulders with an iron grip, her entire body trembling from the sensations as Ben worked her open. Past experience told her time and again to be patient, especially when they were both madly excited like now, but that shaky moan from Ben was enough to make Arc throw caution to the wind. She wanted him inside her at that very second. Taking his hand in her own, Arc gently pulled him away from her cunt, only to pull back and immediately sink down on his waiting cock. "F-fuck...!" Was all Arc could groan. 

She started slow, their sounds obscene and loud, Arc doing all the work at first as she slowly rode, forehead to his shoulder and a steadying hand on the other. Then she grew used to the pace, leaning back slightly, tits bouncing and red hair an absolute mess, as she rode him even faster. "Ben...! Oh, gods, ah...." Eyes open and watching, mouth slightly agape, Arc rode Ben's cock like her life depended on it. 

No fantasy compared to the sight before him. Benjamin swore softly, fingers digging into her ample hips as he bucked up into her, soon lost to the sensations. Tight, hot around him, the woman rode him like she saw no end in sight, and for a moment, it felt like it would last for ages. He rocked into her, meeting her with every thrust. His hands reached for her, tugging her close as he sealed her with a heated kiss, nipping sharply at those plump lips as his hands drifted below to squeeze and tug at her tits. 

Fuck, had he missed her. Missed this. All he wanted to do was throw her back into the bed and fuck into her, again and again until they couldn't move, mapping out her body to relearn every curve, every inch of skin. He settled for letting his hands work, groping and squeezing, as he panted, "Ah--Arc..."

True to herself 4 years prior, Arc was growing noisy, every other breath devoted to moaning her praises, even when Ben claimed her lips with his own. It wasn't long into their frantic fucking that Arc felt the buildup she had craved -- the buildup that would break her, surely. That she was the first to cum didn't bother her, in fact the look on Ben's face as she muffled her cry of release was almost as good as the orgasm itself. "A-ah-h...!" That tight heat peaked just as Arc did, urging Ben to follow, or at the very least keep going. Arc seemed determined at the moment, eyes finally closing as she continued to rise and fall on him, waiting, wanting. "Ben, please..."

Benjamin groaned, unable to last much longer. Too long between their last time together, between any sort of intimacy. He thrust up once, twice, before his peak crashed over him, the man almost taken back at the sudden uncoiling of tension in his stomach. His grip loosened against her hips, his head thumping against his shoulders as he let out a shaky breath.

Thank the Mother for that disgusting moonbrew. If not for that, the seed running down her thighs would have been more than enough for another baby.

Her heart pounding a mile a minute, Arc slowly pulled herself up and off Ben, flinging herself beside him instead on the cool sheets. That didn't save her from her ultimate fate -- getting immediately pulled back into the sticky, warm mess that was post-sex Benjamin Kirkwall. Arc laughed as she mock protested, before resigning herself and curling against the shape of his body. It was stunning, the amount of seed between her thighs, and Arc gave a quick thanks to moonbrew too. "I love you, Ben." 

"And I'm so happy you're back." Arc replaced her incoming sob with a laugh instead, tangling their limbs together as she squeezed him tight. Already, she ached down below, and Ben was still trembling slightly from the aftershocks of sex. A bath sounded good right about now. Still, Arc found herself saying, "I could stay like this forever."

Benjamin didn't speak just yet, simply pressing a kiss to her forehead. The beat of his heart was thunderous against his chest, as he kept her close, not wanting to let go just yet. Little kisses along her forehead, her cheeks, across her nose--sex still remained the best way to get his affections, the gruff man now a soft teddy bear. He murmured, "Love you, Arcana."

Still so easy to say. He hummed tiredly, a hand running along her soft skin, as he added, "We're a fucking mess."

Like a lightning bolt had struck her soul, Arc felt a rush of energy pulse through her at those three simple words. Whether Ben realized it or not, that was the first time he had ever managed to repeat that simple phrase back. Not because he didn't feel it, but.....Arc sat up slightly, running a hand through her red locks to move them out of the way, both blue eyes trained on Ben. "Say it again." The woman had looked blissful before -- now she looked ready to burst into tears. "Please." 

At first, Ben stared up at her in confusion, unsure of what she meant. It was something that had slipped out--intentional, yes, but over the years, he had gotten so used to saying it to open air, that it was just second hand at that point. Another little anchor on the old life he led, something to keep him from losing his mind during those long years. 

He was quiet for a moment, finally reaching up to cup her cheek. His voice was low, soft in the quiet room, as he said, "I love you, Arcana."

At first, Ben stared up at her in confusion, unsure of what she meant. It was something that had slipped out--intentional, yes, but over the years, he had gotten so used to saying it to open air, that it was just second hand at that point. Another little anchor on the old life he led, something to keep him from losing his mind during those long years. 

He was quiet for a moment, finally reaching up to cup her cheek. His voice was low, soft in the quiet room, as he said, "I love you, Arcana."

Hearing that -- that was Arc's fantasy. And that it had slipped so nonchalantly from his lips, as if Ben had said it a thousand times before, oh, that only made it all the sweeter. Choking back a sob, Arc whispered in return, "I love you, Benjamin." She pressed down against him for one more kiss, their words lingering in the air like misty magic. Arc would never forget this moment for as long as she lived. But what more was there to say? Arc curled into Ben's side and rested her head on his shoulder, eyes closed for the moment, feeling the sudden twitches here and there along his skin. 

It reminded her of their plans for tomorrow -- still a surprise Benjamin didn't know of. He'd enjoy it, or so Arc hoped. Once she was sure Benjamin wouldn't protest her moving, Arc slid from bed to grab up the sheets they had kicked off, returning and draping the afghan over the both of them. Now tucked firmly against Ben, Arc finally said, "...we can wash in the morning."

"Gross." Came the grumble, without any real heat as he tucked her against him as close as he could. Their warmth combined left him drowsy, as he kissed the top of her head sleepily. He loved her. With everything he had, he loved her. The thought contented him as he slowly drifted off to sleep, unaware of what she might have planned for the next day. That night had been more than enough to satisfy him, for the time being.

As dawn broke, he woke, groggy and slightly sore, from muscles that hadn't been used in some time. Groaning as he tried to roll out of bed, he was greeted instead with a face full of hair, trying to untangle himself without tugging at Arc's scalp. "Bloody--Arc, wake up..."

Arc, too, woke stiff and uncomfortable. How long had it been since she last shared a bed? Apparently she had been spoiled a bit, used to having the giant thing all to herself. Now she had to share, and though she was sharing the bed with Ben, the thought made her slightly grumbly. Especially when she woke with what felt like dead weight pressed against her. "Shut up." Arc said lovingly, rolling onto her tummy and stealing the little bit of cover that had once draped over Ben. 

Finally she turned once more, this time facing Ben as she slowly cracked open her eyes. "Morning." Arc rubbed the sleep from her face and blinked at Ben once, twice. "What time is it?"

"Late enough." He smothered his yawn as he tugged back the covers, the room cool in the morning light. If there wasn't any cuddling to be going on, he was going to steal as much warmth as possible. "We should probably get moving."

Even as he said it, he made no attempt at getting up and facing the day. The bed was still warm, soft and comfortable as he sank back into the soft blankets. After a moment or two, a soft snore rose from the man's chest, already on his way back to sleep. Any longer and he'd be dead to the world again, unable to be roused unless forcibly kicked from the bed.

...or other methods. Arc couldn't help the thought as it reared up in her mind, reminding her of their younger, more passionate days together, when a full day of sex wasn't terribly uncommon. They couldn't afford it now, of course, with Joan, but she wasn't due to wake up for another....Arc glanced out the window, calculating the time roughly...maybe an hour, two? They had time to spare for once. Just like the good ol days. With a mischievous look, Arc scooted closer and sunk down underneath the thick afghan. Ben was going to be in for two surprises today. 

Luckily for Arc, the morning gave her a bit of an advantage. Turns out it wasn't dead weight pressed against her this morning -- no, this weight was very much alive and warm. With a soft sigh, Arc settled against Ben's side and started to give him just a bit of attention, her head bobbing up and down under the blanket.

Oh, that was a good way to wake up. Benjamin stretched, a soft groan escaping him as he grew harder still. His snores slowed, sleepy mumbles replacing them, as he lifted up the blanket. And there she was, lips latched around his cock, a beautiful reminder of how damn good her blowjobs could be. He grunted, head falling back at a particularly powerful suckle along the head of his cock, fists tightening against the afghan. "H-ahh, shit..."

His hips bucked lightly, heat starting to make its way along his body, sinking deep into his gut. He let out a rough breath, stilling himself to allow her to take the lead. Enjoying the show was hardly second prize.

When he lifted the cover, Arc took care to not stop, though she did look a bit sheepish. She was just glad the motion was a welcome one this early in the morning, closing her eyes and concentrating on getting Ben to enjoy himself. Each hard suck on his cock's head had Benjamin groaning anew, so Arc kept at it, lavishing him with every trick in the book she had learned during their time together. Men were hardly so picky but Ben had certain ways he liked it, and Arc was feeling eager to oblige after last night's fun. So....

"Fuck, Ben." Arc rode one of his bucks and went back down on him, eyelids fluttering as she fought to take him in. At the feeling of his fingers in her hair, palm cupping her cheek, Arc let out a pleased moan of her own and bobbed a bit faster -- willing him quietly to snap. 

She didn't have long to wait. Benjamin stiffened slightly, a sharp breath escaping him right as he found his relief. His fingers tightened in her hair as he rode out his release, thrusting shallowly before slowly stuttering to a halt. And without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms, the taste of him still on her lips as he kissed her deeply. 

Fingers carding through her hair, lightly brushing out the night's tangles, he kissed her again and again, a low rumble of content from deep inside his chest. "Alright, I'm awake...good morning to you too..."

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?" Arc thumbed off a drop of cum from the corner of her mouth and laughed softly, happily laying against Ben as they shared a few more kisses. 4 years celibate and she still knew how to rock their socks off, hell yeah. Her own tingly feelings pushed aside for now, Arc sat up slightly and looked Ben in the eye. Ah, he looked good like this, hair tussled and a little smile on his normally somber face. That was a look she wanted to wake up to every morning for the rest of her life. Knowing it was actually a possibility filled her with warmth. 

One last kiss and Arc was set on either getting her due shares or starting their day. "Sleep well?"

"Like a rock." Benjamin had to cut back his yawn. He had the idea that if he really wanted to, he could pull her back to bed and fall asleep again just fine. Instead, he contented himself with wrapping his arms around her, to pull her close to his chest. "You snored all night so I'm gonna guess that you slept just fine."

So early and already he was teasing her. Benjamin pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder, murmuring, "Now, you promised we'd clean up this morning...I'm thinking we better deliver on that."

"I did not snore." Arc murmured in protest, amused all the same that Ben was suggesting they move yet not attempting in the slightest to roll from bed. Well, she'd help with that. "A shower would be wonderful, let's be honest, but if you could do me a similar favor I'd really appreciate it." With a lingering kiss, Arc finally slid from bed to start the shower, heat rushing to her cheeks at the feeling of slippery wetness between her legs. Ah, damnit, like they had the time....!

Arc got a head start, with the amount of hair she had, lathering herself up as (she assumed) Ben grew the will to pry himself from bed. 

It took a bit, but he eventually joined her, soaking up the heat from the water and allowing it to soothe any soreness left behind from last night. Otherwise, he was quick, washed up and out of the shower in no time, brushing back his still growing hair as he trimmed his beard. He cut a fine figure in the morning light, damp skin glistening, the towel riding low on his hips. He inspected his work before asking, "So what's the plan for today?"

Feeling a bit more level-headed, Arc took care to ready herself for the day as well, though as soon as her hair was dry she threw it back into a ponytail. "We're going on a seek-and-find hike. I don't know when you want to...um, tell Joan about your werebear situation, but I thought a walk in the woods would be as good a time as any." With a flick of her hand, a small wooden sword sat on the bathroom counter, wrapped neatly in a big red bow. "With the added bonus of finding her birthday present at the end of the trip." 

Another flick of her hand and it was gone, back in whatever storage shed Arc used to hide all her weapon goodies. "But really, I will leave that to your discretion, Ben. You don't have to tell her until you want to." 

Benjamin frowned, already wary as he tugged on his clothing for the day. Joan was a pretty...unique child, to say the least, but he couldn't say whether she'd view his ability as something to be scared of or not. He was still very much a stranger, and one who could change into a massive bear at will could frighten even the bravest of children. He didn't want it to be too much for her.

"...a hike'll be good for all of us." He agreed. "You're sure she wouldn't be scared? She's a pretty brave one for her age, but..."

"Well, let's give it some time. Let her play around in the forest for a touch before turning into one." Arc wasn't sure if it was a good idea, either, but when is the right time to tell your child something like that? The fact that she didn't believe Ben was her father showed promise -- maybe she'd react oppositely here too and think the bear part is exciting. Now dressed and ready, Arc snuck into Joan's bedroom to wake her with kisses and tickles, her audible "Happy birthday my little cub" heard even from the downstairs.

After a breakfast of waffles and fruit, the three were off to the neighboring forest for a nice hike and game of seek and find. Joan had clung to Arc's hand the entire way, but once they hit the woods she was off like a bandit -- probably a routine she knew by heart now. Arc watched as Joan flung herself into the woods, a careful ear listening for any cries of pain or fear. But Joan was fearless as always, and insistent on finding the gift Arc had hidden for her. 

With map in hand, Joan recruited Ben to help her find the present since using Arc for help would be cheating. The map was crudely made, meant for a young child's eyes, but even Joan was having a hard time with it. "Ben, I can't get it."

Ben took one look at the map in Joan's hands, before gently tugging it from her grasp. With exaggerated care, he turned it upside down, the paths now clearer as he handed it back to Joan. "Your mama gave it to you upside down." He knelt beside her, peering over her shoulder to take a better look at the map in hand. "Mm...she really does favor the north, huh? Let's set out that way." Benjamin stood, offering his hand to her after a moment of thought. Further reflection prompted him to ask, "Did your mama ever teach you to track at all?"

The more he thought of it, the more sense it made. Arc was just giving the kid a map to go off of, but what better way to find it than by following where Arc's feet led her?

"No," Joan took Ben's hand with little hesitation, "Mama said I needed to learn the importance of 'geosomethingsomething maps'." Ah, so Arc used these games as exercises to help Joan learn to map her portals better. But tracking would make it fun too... It certainly wouldn't hurt to know both. And who had better teachers at her disposal? Joan took a quick peek at the map again and scowled, squeezing Ben's hand hard as she said, "I like games but I don't like maps. How do you track? Can you hear Mama? Can you smell her? She always smells good. I do too. You don't yet."

"You don't pull any punches, do you?" Benjamin asked dryly as he led her along. Even in that form, he could smell a faint scent of Arc, but that would take the fun out of it if they just followed his nose. He paused slightly, kneeling beside a disturbed patch of dirt. "So, first lesson. You need to pay attention to your surroundings when you're tracking. Look for anything out of the ordinary. Broken branches, foot prints, scuff marks in the dirt, trampled grass. Shit--stuff like that." 

Benjamin tapped the ground, the spot slightly disturbed before leading bits of dirt and mud onto rocks that had been settled into the dirt, signs that someone had gone that way. "Like this. Nice little clue on where she's heading, right? Prints look about the size of her boots, and she's got a tendency of scraping them off something because she doesn't like her boots feeling clumpy." He stood, hands on his hips as he looked to Joan. "Think you can find the next clue?"

With a thoughtful hum, Joan scurried off ahead of Ben in search for some more tracks. She didn't really know what was she was doing in terms of tracking down a person -- her forte normally more along the lines of anything that squirmed -- but if she could find anyone, it was Arc. "Yeah." Joan murmured to herself, squatting in the dirt path. "Besides boots.....oh, look, look!" In a hurry, Joan was running to the next clue, this one a bit too obvious to be anything but intentional. "Mama dropped her purse!" 

Oh, wait, that was a bit odd. Why would Arc leave her bag of money just sitting on the side of the dirt path, even if it was a clue for Joan? That was just....dangerous. Joan jangled the coin purse towards Ben, smiling with delight. "Will it help?" 

"Uh--yeah, I guess." Benjamin said, a bit put off by the sight of Arc's purse. He quickly confiscated it from Joan, a little concerned. That wasn't exactly like Arc to leave something like that. He tried to get Joan to play along with the tracking game, teaching her how to find broken branches and trampled grass, all the while growing more alert the further they went. He couldn't help himself as he said, "Alright, you keep an eye out for anything that doesn't belong in a forest, yeah?"

"OK!" Joan seemed eager to comply, not feeling the tension slowly rising from Benjamin. They continued down farther through the forest, following clues left behind by Arc -- footprints, bits of loose hair, the like -- until eventually the trail stopped cold. Joan stared at the last few footprints and followed their deviation from the path into the forest. But Arc hadn't carelessly made her way through the low limbs -- she had carefully pulled them forward and left them where they were, so there would be no telltale snap! of the tree. Joan frowned and squatted down, saying, "I think there's a creek near here. I can hear it." 

And Ben could likely smell the overwhelming stench of blood. 

Benjamin grew stiff, hooking his finger into Joan's collar as he tugged her back, towards the cover of nearby underbrush. He knelt beside her, a finger pressed to his mouth, hoping that for once, she would listen. It was already a struggle not to shift in front of the child, the bear lifting its head at the scent of blood deep inside him. He had to clamp down on his sense of control, his teeth already lengthening inside his mouth, as he whispered hoarsely, "I need you to stay very, very still, Joan. No moving, nothing."

Slowly he stood, keeping low and out of sight as he moved silently forward.

Joan looked ready to protest, but something made her shrink back in the bushes and curl into herself, big eyes watching Ben. She had been told to be quiet before -- likely by Arc. This wasn't her first brush with danger. It wasn't likely to be her last. Through the woods, the stench of blood grew stronger and stronger, limbs eventually peeking up underneath the foliage like grotesque flowers. It wasn't until Ben reached the mouth of the creek that he saw Arc, though. She stood over the body of an invader soldier, looking puzzled but not distracted, turning when Ben approached. "Where's Joan?" 

She hadn't panicked before, but knowing Joan was alone at this very moment immediately made her tense. "Ben, where is Joan? There's something -- this is fresh, we need to go back...!"

"I couldn't just let her see this." Benjamin retorted. He had his hand pressed to his mouth and nose, willing himself to breathe slowly, evenly, even as it felt like he was about to burst out of his skin. He took a step back, trying to gulp in what little clear air there was. None of the bodies looked like they had fallen from her magic, there was no splatters over her clothing. He turned to hurry back to Joan. intending to scoop her up and forget the sword, at least until they knew what was going on.

Arc took a long look at Ben, wondering if he meant his struggle to stay human or the gore along the creek. Unable to say, she turned and hurried back to find their daughter, panic making her heart pound. By the time they reached the path and approached the thicket Joan was hiding in, another guest had joined them. Arc ground to a halt and held Ben back with an iron grip, eyes wide as she stared at the ghostly white deer. It was huge, too big to be any normal deer, and a shocking white that almost glowed, even in the sunlight. It blinked at Ben and Arc once, twice, staring as Arc dropped her gaze to Joan. 

The child seemed unaware of the creature behind her, patiently waiting for her parents to return, her gaze fixed on the path in front of her. Arc brought her eyes up to the deer again and waited, feeling compelled to not shoo it off as if it were some common animal. She was rewarded, the deer slowly tilting her head and saying, "You'd best go. He's still close." With another moment of silence, the deer finally turned away and ran off into the thicker parts of the wood, her faint glow still visible even in the far distance. 

"Holy shit." Arc scrambled to Joan without another thought, drawing the girl close and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Did it hurt you?"

"Did what hurt me?" Joan asked softly, a bit mystified at the looks of horror on her parents' faces. A better question formed, "Did you find my sword?" 

"We are...still looking for your sword." Benjamin said slowly, relaxing little by little. As long as she was more focused on that, he figured things would be okay. He tugged gently at a lock of hair from her head, adding, "And it's you that's supposed to be finding it, remember?" He glanced back at Arc, as if silently trying to ask what the hell they both just saw. It didn't seem remotely malevolent, but still he shivered the more he thought about it, as if something telling him quietly that they had a very, very close encounter with something beyond explanation.

At least the kid was safe. That much he could tell himself.

Maybe that creature wasn't malevolent, but whatever killed the human soldiers sure as hell was. Arc wasn't about to stick around and solve the mystery -- not while Joan was still with them, anyway. "Come on little cub, I think we might be looking in the wrong place. Let's try looking closer to home." Joan frowned at the suggestion but did not throw a fit, instead curling a bit further into her mother's arms and giving a soft, 'okay' in response. Even if she hadn't seen the creature, Joan was obviously a little put off by something. 

They left the forest with no other surprises but the one waiting at home. Upon opening the door, the three were greeted by a chorus of "happy birthday"s from friends old and new. Fear immediately forgotten, Joan squealed with delight and plopped to the ground to run inside. Resm met them both with a smile at the front door, that smile dropping when he saw the somber look pass between them. With a short mention of talking later, Arc hurried after Joan to keep her from snatching up presents and ripping into them. 

There were a lot of people in the house. Some Ben knew -- Resm and Ursula, Solomon and his husband, Ian and his wife, a few other guild members, but mostly the house was filled with children. Children that were soon shooed outside, so the adults could catch their breath and discretely sneak a drink or two. "What happened?" Resm finally asked, siding up to Benjamin. "You look as if you saw death." 

"We found some bodies out in the woods." Benjamin said in a low voice. He was quick to explain what he and Arc had seen to Resm, albeit with one or two details missing about what they saw in the woods afterwards. Talking about the deer felt--off, for whatever reason. He squared his concern more on the bodies, saying, "They wore the enemy's uniform. I don't like that a group of 'em got so close...maybe whatever got them, we should thank. They could've been scouts or something."

Resm took a sip from his drink and frowned, looking deep in thought. "I've heard no news of their current camps moving so perhaps they were simply deserters. I will send out a group of the Rangers to collect them, regardless." Resm took another look over Ben, still puzzled. "It is not like you to be so spooked by a few dead bodies. Surely you've not gone soft." A scream of delight woke Resm to the sudden realization, though in truth he was still wrong. "Was it because Joan was there?" 

The offered explanation was gladly seized upon by Benjamin. "I--yeah. Kids don't need to see something like that. Arc would've killed me if I just let Joan stroll into a patch of dead bodies..." Or come close to killing him for leaving their daughter alone in the woods while he checked it all out, but the less he said on that, the better. He settled back, before spying something gold on Resm's finger, eager to change the subject. "New ring?"

"Oh? Yes, I..." Suddenly a bit self conscious about it, Resm's eyes sought out Ursula and he smiled when he found her in the crowd. Arc and she were doing the same exact thing -- Resm could have sworn he saw Arc's lips mouth 'holy shit'. "Ursula and I have pledged ourselves to one another. The wedding won't be for some time, but I thought it best to surprise her with the rings." Resm wasn't about to whip out his hand to show Ben like Ursula was currently doing with Arc, but even from a distance you could see the small details of it. A gold bottom, with a clear coat along the top that held fragments of a purple geode. Likely pieces from the second part of Ursula's gift. 

"...are you in the market for rings, yourself?" Oh, a daring question from Resm. 

Benjamin was about to rise to the bait before he caught himself, settling back into his spot. From his vantage point, he could see the children oohing and ahhing over Joan's magical aptitude as she showed off her skills. He said, "In the line of work you've got Arc in, not just yet."

He gave a critical look to Resm. "So how's the whole pledging thing work? Your little council not gonna flip its collective wig about it?" Not that he begrudged Resm his happiness, something he quickly rectified by adding gruffly, "But--congratulations. Hope you two are happy."

"Hmm. Perhaps. Honestly?" Resm took another sip from his cup. "If they can support my fathering of Maddox they can certainly support a legitimate marriage with legitimate heirs. Chaunce will give me an earful once I return to the castle, I'm sure. But Ursula is more for appearances.....she wants it all to remain secret...I just want to make her happy. " That seemed to trouble Resm more than anything, though he smiled when his wife to be glanced up at him. "I like calling her my wife. What can I say? I am a simple man."

The longer Resm watched Ursula the more he was growing distracted, enough so he eventually had to turn away. What a lovesick pup. "I'm glad to see you here, in this house, with your daughter and your lover. Come to me if you need rings. Or, well, maybe a very nice new sword. It is Arc, after all."

"A sword would be good. Something enchanted and rare so she can display it with the rest of her cutlery on the wall." Benjamin said with a faint laugh. Far more useful than a ring too. But the old tradition had its own appeal, just as he caught himself thinking it. Benjamin shook his head briskly, clearing his throat. They were just getting things started, he didn't need to be considering things like that yet. Distracting himself by pouring them both a drink, he was soon quiet and content to just watch the party around him.

The children were soon ushered back inside, presents passed on towards the birthday girl. With permission from Arc, Ursula had gifted Joan a small pocket knife, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and Solomon and his husband had gone above and beyond for decorating her cake, a masterpiece that begged to be eaten. Benjamin snagged them both a slice, popping a crystallized swirl of honey into his mouth. "S'good. Arc got this party set up without a hitch..."

"She's been doing good by Joan, really." Resm mumbled around his piece of cake, watching as Arc brought out the final gift -- a sword shoved into a fake stone for the ultimate dramatic effect. Joan roared with victory when she easily pulled the wooden sword free. The sight was...nostalgic, a bit, especially for Arc. She looked very pleased that her little baby had such a talent for something they both loved. Even with the promise of cake, Joan refused to do anything but run outside and whack her sword against anything that wouldn't feel the pain. Her duties mostly done, Arc finally brought the two groups of friends together, gently pushing on Resm's chest as she drew close.

"What's with this ring, Resm? It's making even me a little wobbly in the knees." Arc laughed, turning to give her friend Ursula a fond smile. "These parties are going to look absolutely trivial compared to your children." 

Ursula's smile grew forced for a moment, as she said, "Still early for children. But I think the party was great, Arc. Joan is going to be a force with that sword of hers." 

She ignored the way Benjamin's eyebrow raised, aware that he likely saw the way she tensed, continuing, "She's definitely a mama's girl. How has she been settling with Ben in the house?"

"Been a few ups and downs but we're getting there." Benjamin said, glancing at Arc for confirmation. If anything was wrong, she would be the first to notice any problems. "Joan's a cute kid...got a mouth on her like no tomorrow, but..." A fond look flickered over his face. He couldn't deny that he was warming to her little by little, just as he had her mother. "I dunno. Nice being around. Never really a dull moment with her..."

 

J Winsch   
Mon, Jul 17, 2017, 5:50 PM  
to Cori

Arc gave a pleased shrug. "I'd agree. I think they're getting along surprisingly well, considering Joan doesn't believe that Ben is her father." That earned a laugh from Resm, though he was more surprised than amused. "Though Ben's getting kicked out as soon as she starts calling to him for help." Arc cautiously added, her eyes trailing towards the backyard. There was that motherly protective streak -- she always wanted to be the first line of defense. 

"What about Jon?" At Resm's question, it was Arc's turn to tense up. Realizing he had just said the wrong thing, Resm blinked a few times and rushed to cover his tracks. "He's pretty protective of Joan too -- has he not been around?" 

"Not yet." Arc glanced at Ben to see if there was any reaction, her tone casual. "I'm surprised he didn't make it to the party." That was a bit of a relief, actually -- Arc wasn't terribly ready to tell Ben he had another child to meet. "Jon is Joan's best friend. It's as confusing as it sounds." Mum was the word between the three, each sharing nervous glances with each other, the tension only broken when Joan smacked Ben in the butt with her sword. 

Distracted by the surprisingly powerful smack, Benjamin's question about Jon died on his lips as he turned to fix Joan with a stern glare. It didn't exactly hurt, but damn if it hadn't startled him. "Oy, what's your mama told you about using that on people? I know she's laid down rules about that thing."

Ursula smiled as she watched Benjamin usher Joan back outside, passing her the wooden shield along the way. She leaned in towards Arc, saying quietly, "You'll have to let him know sooner or later. Jon thought he was dead too, didn't he?"

"Yeah," Arc sighed, watching as the man she loved huffed and puffed at their daughter in mock play. "Jon's so young too....what would a 12 year old even think about this situation? I don't think he knew what he wanted when he showed up at my doorstep." Whether Ben was alive or dead, Jon didn't care, his gaze steely as he asked for a place to stay. What could Arc do? She felt bad for the kid -- his mom was dead, his father unknown, and no place to go now that the war had less use for kids running around. The Guild was good to Jon though. With Joan on her hip, that was the best she could offer. 

There was no denying Jon's father though. Jon was a spitting image. "He's just starting to warm up to Joan....and I want to be selfish for just a bit longer." 

Ursula nodded. She could understand that desire to be selfish, to keep the man she loved just a little longer to herself. She glanced at Resm, memories drifting over her own desire to be selfish, before she said, "Just don't hold it off too long, Arc. Better it come from you than pop up without any warning."

She settled back, her hand sliding into Resm's, her thumb stroking over his knuckles. His presence always left her content, as she watched the children try to join Joan in bringing down Benjamin--somehow succeeding, as the man went down under a pile of children. She laughed at his protests, adding, "He grumbles, but...he enjoys this, doesn't he?”

"More than I ever thought he would." Arc agreed, her heart warming at the sight of it. "More than I ever hoped he would." 

Resm squeezed Ursula's hand gently, the sight of children at play bringing him joy -- how easily it was to imagine a child of their own at play, too, best friends with Joan and just as much trouble. Resm pressed a soft kiss to Ursula's head and knew it was meant to be. "It is a good time. We should enjoy it while we can." Though his words sounded ominous, Arc did not call him out on it, smiling as Resm took the moment to dip his head and start pressing daring hickies to Ursula's neck. 

"Stop that now, there are children watching." Arc scolded, though she knew Ursula would soon enough put her man in place. "Could you control yourself for but a moment and stop necking your fiancee?" 

"Has a good ring to it, doesn't it?" Ursula laughed, pinching at Resm's side lightly until he finally behaved, her eyes bright and playful. It was good seeing the two so warm and loving with each other, a bright future ahead of them. A future that would leave that night with them in bed, judging by the playful squeeze Ursula snuck against Resm's ass, humming softly to herself. "We'll behave, I swear. It's Joan's day, after all."

There were squeals of delight as Benjamin finally broke free, beating a retreat towards the safety of the adults, looking worse for wear and his clothing askew. The poor man even had a tiny boot print against his cheek, huffing as he plopped into the chair by Arc. "Those kids are demons. How much longer is this party, again?"

"Can't keep up with the wee demons, Benjamin Kirkwall?" The look of resignation on Benjamin's face was too good to pass up on, Arc giving the man a good kiss on the cheek before giving a knowing look to the other patrons. Joan was all but swaying on her feet at this point, and the other children were starting to come down from it too by the looks of things. Sugar and play was finally taking a toll, and Arc was about ready to call it quits too. Soon enough, one by one, families packed up and left with gracious thanks to Arc and Joan for inviting them. 

Resm and Ursula were the last to leave, finally giving the three of them the house to themselves. Arc picked up Joan's limp body from the garden and carried her upstairs to sleep, joining Ben after a moment in the living room. They were both tired, both ready for the day to end, but also knew that starting tomorrow Arc was going to be back at work. That meant they had to talk about adult stuff. But not just yet. Running her hand through Ben's hair, Arc gave him a long kiss, still in a good mood after the fun of the party. "Today's been exhausting, huh?"

"Exhausting ain't the word." Benjamin groaned, leaning into her kiss. If she stopped running her fingers through his hair, she was going to have a fully grown man in a sulk in no time. His hair wasn't quite to the length it had been four years ago, but now it tumbled boyishly over his forehead, thick and soft to the touch. He was still refusing to cut it, of course.

Pressing against her, there was a pleased rumble from the werebear. "Y'r not allowed to stop."

"Alright then, lean against me so I can keep at it." With a little bit of wiggling, Ben was laying back against Arc, his head cushioned in her bosom and her fingers still slowly combing through his hair. They couldn't kiss real easy like this, but the content look on his face was enough to make Arc happy for now. Arc absentmindedly wrapped her legs around him, the heel of her foot pressing just ever so gently into his abdomen. "These last few days have been real nice, but," Arc brought her hands down to his neck, giving Ben a good scratch, like she would when he was a bear, "I have to return to work tomorrow."

"So I'm wondering....maybe Joan can stay here with you tomorrow? She has new toys to occupy herself with -- all you'd have to do is feed her." Watching for a reaction, Arc let her hands trail back up to his hair, smoothing it into place. "If you're not ready though..."

His eyes flicked open, the man having to crane his neck backwards to look her way. There was something of a frown there. It wasn't quite so much that he was ready, it was if Joan was. He had the idea that she would make it very clear, very easily, if she wasn't happy with an arrangement. Weighing his words carefully, he said, "You'll just be working in the castle, right? If something comes up, all I gotta do is come grab you?"

Alone with the kid. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. Her job was important, incredibly so, and knowing her, she took off the bare minimum of time to get things settled at home. "...as long as she's okay with it...I can handle it. Like you said, she got so many damn toys, she probably doesn't know what to do with them all. And I can feed her just fi--wait, she's not allergic to nothing, right?"

Though Ben was frowning, Arc still felt relieved -- that he was even considering it at all was a hopeful sign in her eyes. "Yes, I'll be at the castle, yes, she'll be fine with this, and yes, your daughter is allergic to cabbage. But just a wee bit." His frown still steadfast, Arc gave a huff. "I'll ask Joan if she's okay with it in the morning. She will let me know how she feels about it, don't worry, Ben. You've been great with her this far -- I don't think much will change." Arc dipped down and gave his forehead a kiss. "She's only maimed one babysitter thus far." 

Arc's laugh betrayed the lie, but the look on Ben's face was precious. "Maybe one of our kids will maim someone but I bet you they deserved it!" 

Benjamin snorted, wrapping his arm around her neck to pull her down for an awkwardly made kiss. "As long as the person being maimed ain't me, then that's alright..."

He sighed, breaking the kiss to look up at her with concern in his eyes. Benjamin wanted badly for this to work. He wasn't much a domestic man, never had been, but he was learning, little by little. And so far he wasn't finding much to object to. "...I just wanna see this go right. I've never had to be around kids for this long...and definitely not our own daughter." He sighed, settling back against her bosom, comfortably nestled in her arms. "...I can't tell ya how strange it is to say those words."

"Feed your daughter, point her towards something to smack, and you'll have a happy girl." Arc chuckled, one hand tracing up the line of his jaw. "But no showering her how to fight proper. That's my job and I'm calling dibs right now." Any more of this sappy talk and Arc wasn't going to be able to keep her hands off Ben for the next few hours. Plus Arc was tired, and falling asleep on the couch didn't appeal much. She briefly wondered if moonbrew was necessary tonight but shrugged it off -- Ben already said he was exhausted. 

"Come on, we both deserve some rest." Ignoring his unhappy grumbling for now, Arc slid from the couch and helped Ben upstairs, the two quick to fall to bed. Arc rolled onto her side to face Ben, smiling as she pulled up the covers and said, "Love you."

"Love you too." Benjamin bit back a yawn, reaching out to tuck a lock of stray hair behind her ears. Something was finally demanding his attention as they rested together in the quiet dark of the room, no longer ignorable. His arm wrapped around her, a kiss pressed to her forehead as he murmured, "Sounded pretty hopeful about that talk of 'one of ours'...still a bit soon, ain't it?"

"I..." Did she really say that? It had been an honest slip of the tongue, and Arc felt shame flash through her at Ben's mention of it. "I didn't mean anything by it." Knowing her body language would speak leagues of her discomfort, but needing the distance anyway, Arc slowly turned so her back was to Ben, her cheek pressed deep into her pillow. Ben was right, but that didn't mean getting called out on it hurt any less. 

Alright, so somewhere he went wrong. Benjamin reached out to touch her, before thinking better of it, and pulled his hand back from her. He sighed, turning away. Not quite how he wanted to end the day, but--he didn't get it. They were still finding their feet, trying to work on their own relationship as well as allow Joan and Benjamin to adjust to one another. Any talk of kids, in his mind, would have to be put on hold. He rubbed his face with a tired grumble, closing his eyes as he allowed sleep to drift over him. 

Time went on, that small bump in the road eventually smoothing out. Benjamin found himself watching over Joan daily as Arc worked, keeping up with his girl as best as he could. Looking for outside work became less and less of a pressing concern as he kept the house cleaned, food cooked and ready, a househusband in all but name. And if he were honest, watching over Joan had its own rewards. It was never easy, not with her magic, but he kept up with her, making a point of running her ragged during the day with playing and adventures into town so that she would crash hard at night. It was all a challenge, but something he found himself enjoying in his own way. Especially when it came time for Arc to come home, watching Joan's face light up that her mother was back and bursting out of the door to greet her. As long as Arc was there to tuck her baby in, they were set.

Over the months that passed, Joan had accepted Ben into their home and her heart. Though he was still "Ma's best hairy friend", he was now turning into Joan's friend too, which meant Joan now affectionately called Ben "Benny". It wasn't Daddy, but it was close enough. Joan was becoming less of a whirlwind of energy and more of a contained mass of energy that followed a very tight schedule. Almost on a timer, the kid would go from frenzied to mellow and it all depended on the time of day and day of the week. Having been living with them for a good 3 months now, Ben knew the drill to heart and suddenly things weren't so bad. 

It was going well enough that Arc entrusted the two of them to behave while she went off on a job that would take a few days time. When she returned, it was as if nothing had changed -- only this time, the hugs were just a wee bit stronger from the both of her loves. Talk of outside work died off between Ben and Arc -- he already had a job being a dad to Joan. He was doing so stellar that Arc thought maybe it was time for him to learn of his other child. 

After a good dinner and a light chat over some wine to welcome Arc home from her last work-related travels, Arc suggested the three of them go to the Guild to let off some steam. Joan rallied immediately to the call, running upstairs while yelling about busting up kneecaps. After some coaxing, Arc finally got Ben to agree to come too, the three of them heading off to say hi to the Guildmembers. Eventually they made their way down to the training ring, Arc lightheartedly sparing with their daughter until a new challenger came into sight. 

He was maybe 14 or 15 years old, with a rough scratchiness of brown hair but soft brown eyes, and a smile that lit up when Arc waved him over. Joan all but toppled the poor boy in her excitement to see him, who was still gangly and fat, yet to hit his growth spurt. "Jon, it's good to see you." Arc ruffled his short hair and brought the boy over to meet Ben. "Ben, this is Jon." She said it careful, noting the awkward tense of Jon's body. Jon knew. "He's....your son."

Benjamin was just about to offer his hand in greeting to the boy, figuring at least to be polite, when Arc's careful words sent him reeling. His fingers curled back into a fist out of reflex, shock registering in his face as he stared at the boy in front of him. Young, yeah, but the more he stared at him, the more details he could pull from Jon's face that matched his own. The eyes were different, but the nose, the set of his jaw--definitely that thick hatch of brown hair--all his. His throat tightened as he tried to make sense of it, before there was an internal groan. 

He knew he wasn't exactly the most chaste man in the world. There were always plenty of young women at inns and bars who'd take a gruff Northerner to bed, treating him to every sense of hospitality they could. Some were simple passing fancies, others he could remember after a few moments of thought. Which one of those women did the kid come from? Did he have any others to worry about? Shit.

Realizing that all three were waiting for him to respond, Benjamin forced his hand out again, wondering if Jon would even take it. "...year's just been full of surprises...whereabouts are you from?" Maybe that would help narrow it down. "Part of the guild?"

"From the West, sir." Jon had a weak little grip but he shook Ben's hand all the same. "Mom owned a tavern there called the Dry Gin Lake. She raised me good she did and loved me too. Didn't tell me about you until the end -- told me to find you or find the Resistance. Said to find the fanciest person in there and tell him how fast I could run. I was skinnier then, and they shaved me head clean in the resistance when they took me in." Jon ran a self-conscious hand over his head and let it drop down to his cheek. "Was only 9 then. Ran from camp to camp to deliver messages. Found you maybe 4 years back when they were closing up shop." 

"I don't know if you meant to, but I used everything you told me about the Iron City to find Ms. Arc." Here Jon blushed, looking a bit shameful. "She got me in with the Guild and that's all I really wanted. Never needed a Da, just someplace to cover my head, and that's what Mom would have wanted too. But I thought to tell you since we was in the Resistance together and I thought you might remember me; Ms. Arc told me to tell you too." Arc let out a little huff at that.

"I ain't lookin' for trouble though. Mom taught me that." Jon squirmed in his spot, looking increasingly uncomfortable. "But you did get me here so if you need me to be of help, sir, I'll right pay that off."

Benjamin's face was blank, a sure sign that he was rifling through old memories. Time in the resistance was always pretty helter-skelter, and there were always tons of kids running messages back then. Something to help the effort--they were nearly undetectable, most knew the lands like the back of their hands, and they were fast. Still left him uneasy to see kids doing that sort of thing in those days. There had been more than a few that had never quite made it to their destination. But a vague memory of some buzz-cut kid listening all too attentively to his bullshit bubbled up from down deep, as he muttered, "Gotta say, it's...good seeing one of the messenger kids that made it out. We all had to do what we needed to in those days, but...hard work for a nine-year-old."

He looked at him carefully. The guild was treating him right, but that was to be expected. Any foundlings under their banner were given three hot meals a day, some damn fine education in their particular line of work, which meant a good, steady career if they followed through with it. 

But now things were different. He was a family man now. Coming home to one surprise, and now two, and something deeper was stirring inside, guilt mixed with in with something he couldn't quite grasp. Benjamin sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You said--Jon, yeah? I ain't looking for payment. But..." He glanced at Arc, as if asking her approval. "...Maybe you ought to come around one night, have dinner with us."

"Yeah, I'll uh. That sounds good." Jon looked to Arc for approval too, smiling slightly when she gave a nod to the both of them. "Any night but Friday. We get fried potatoes on Friday." The three of them fell into laughter at that, tension melting away from the group, and at just the right time -- Joan was starting to get a bit squirmy. She had been promised a fight, damnit! "C'mon Joan, lemme see your sword." Together the kids started to scuff on the dusty ground of the training ring, Ben and Arc standing off to the side to watch. 

"He used to come eat with us every night. I think you moving in spooked him a little. But it'll be good to have him back at the table." Arc said after a moment, her eyes watching their daughter's movements. For a 4 year old with a glorified stick, she wasn't doing too bad. "He's 14 now...you must have visited the Dry Gin Lake tavern at quite the young age." Ohoho, Arc kept her tone light for that. 

Benjamin mentally staked out the territory, looking for any sort of traps that could come up while discussing his past exploits. "I was...shit. Yeah, I was pretty young, I guess." And an idiot, if he was thinking of the right place. Picking fights left and right, riling himself up to the point where he might turn in public. He could remember that with ease, but then again, any time before his proper work began was filled with that. Benjamin rubbed his forehead, still feeling too out of sorts. Not that the kid was bad, but damn if he didn't feel like someone just yanked the floor from out under his feet. His skin felt too tight, the back of his neck prickled, his jaw working furiously under his skin. 

He had to get out of there, just for a breather. Some sense of control, and feeling a little less caught off guard. Dammit.

Arc seemed to catch the tightness in his voice, glancing over quickly and giving him a short, "...hey," in alarm when crack! the sword had been hit right out of Joan's hands. She started down at her trembling hands with a bit of a start, Jon already falling into apologies, but none of that mattered to the 4 year old. Big, fat tears welled up in her eyes, from shock more than pain. Arc rushed over without another thought, kneeling next to her wailing baby as Jon apologized again and again. But Joan was having none of it, crying into her mother's shoulder, her fists already a nasty red. A thin line of blood dripped from her knuckles.

In hindsight, the reaction was an overreaction. But in that moment, he didn't even stop to think. That little trickle of red was enough to set him off, and just as suddenly as the wail began, a massive bear blocked Arc and Joan off from Jon, and no Ben in sight, beyond a few tattered remains of clothing over the bear's hide. At first, a deep, guttural growl echoed around the training ring, but once his thoughts cleared, his temper subsided, and he could see for himself that Joan wasn't seriously hurt, he was nosing at the girl with a cold snout, trying to get her to stop fussing. 

Being a bear was simple. The danger was gone, the child fine, and now there was no reason to cry. Already the tension was draining away, the form sweeping his anger away like a tidal wave of instinct, just like it always did the minute he shifted.

"What's a bear doing here!?" Jon's reaction was understandable at that moment, the kid scrambling to his feet and pointing the sword at Ben's face. While Jon was freaking out in a bad way Joan was very much enjoying this new development, mouth curved into an 'o' of astonishment. She put her wounded hand on Ben's cold nose and laughed when he immediately sneezed in her face. The situation was deteriorating for everyone but Ben, apparently, Arc getting to her feet too and putting herself between Jon and Ben. 

"Let's not do anything rash, Jon, this is just Ben!" OK, that didn't help. "Put down your sword." Not that the stick would have hurt Ben, but Arc didn't need the kid making Benjamin panicky again. "He's a werebear." Jon squinted over Arc's form to stare at Ben, the kid eventually dropping his sword in the dirt. 

"Can I do that?" Jon asked in the quietest voice possible.

Arc glanced back at Ben and sighed. "You'd know if you could by this point. Ben? Love? You're going to draw even more undue attention with those bear noises of yours." Though Joan was loving every second of it, her hands grabby as she touched his snout, his ears, his lips. "And we are in a Guild filled with warriors, so please change back." 

Ben huffed, ignoring her as he knelt low enough to the ground to allow Joan the chance to climb on. A man wearing nothing but the scraps of his clothing would cause the same amount of attention, and almost just as negatively. Better to simply move quickly and quietly out of sight, towards the prospect of unripped clothing and maybe a bit of explanations. 

Joan climbed on easily, resting her bum on the flattest part of Ben's bear-skull, gripping bits of fur to keep herself situated. Seeing the glance she got, Arc only sighed and crossed her arms. "Really, you think being naked is going to be more of an issue that being a gigantic werebear? That's your call, love. I think you're forgetting that the door isn't big enough -- Joan, no!" But it was already too late. With a laugh, Joan opened a portal directly underneath them and sucked the four of them out of the Guild and into the backyard.

They all shakily landed on their feet, but Jon was immediately sick in the bushes. For first-timers, it was definitely disorienting. Glad to see Ben wasn't having the same problem as as bear, Arc went inside to grab her lover some clothes. Joan was having far too much fun with Ben as a bear though, continuously climbing around on him until she attempted to open his mouth and stare at his fangs. "Little cub, please don't." Arc sighed when she returned with some pants in hand.

The face Joan was making said enough about Ben's breath, but Joan said it anyway, "Ugh, Benny's breath smells like the fish we had for dinner." 

There was another huff from the bear before he nosed at her ear, blowing hot air against it. Once the giggles ceased, he very carefully took the offered trousers from Arc, retreated into the bush in the backyard, and after a few pained grunts and rustling, emerged, little worse for wear. Benjamin scratched sheepishly at his chest, muttering to Arc as he returned to her side, "For once, I'm almost glad for her little portals. I think you're right in that I wouldn't fit through the door like I was..."

"Sometimes I think you forget how absolutely huge you are as a werebear. Thank you, little cub, that was quite the predicament we were in." Arc scooped up Joan and gave her a kiss, nonchalantly looking at her scrapped knuckles. Thankfully the girl had been successfully distracted from the fact that her hand was still bleeding, just a little. "Let's go in and clean this up and get it covered in kisses." Arc kissed Joan's cheek and walked with her inside, leaving the two boys outside. 

Jon finally pulled himself from the bushes, still looking a little green around the gills. "Oof that was rough." He glanced up at Ben and sighed, "Mom never said you were a bear."

"It's not exactly the kind of thing you go spreading around." Benjamin said, adjusting his fresh clothes. He glanced at him, watching the young boy carefully. "You were quick with that sword. The guild's training you up pretty good." High compliments from a man that had the (admittedly wooden) sword aimed at him just a few moments ago. Jon was no slouch, and had reacted immediately, and he had to respect that. He had the sense the boy would go far if he kept at his training. 

"They said it was standard self defense. Don't want nothing more." Jon shifted from side to side, still looking uncomfortable. If it was because of Ben or because of the acknowledgement of his skills, it was hard to tell either way. His gaze trailed over Ben's face with a new look of apprehension -- Jon had said he didn't want a father but perhaps this was a bit more disappointing than he thought. "...I'm going back." Shoving his way past Ben, Jon jumped the fence of the yard and hurried out, leaving only silence behind. 

Arc returned just in time to see the boy go, a frown settling on her face. Oh. That was a bit discouraging. "...come inside, Ben." She finally said. "He'll come back eventually." 

Benjamin frowned, watching the boy disappear from view. Somehow, he doubted it would be any time soon, especially when he was around. He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. "Right."

He followed her back inside, mulling over his own thoughts as he wiped down the kitchen, cleaned the dishes, little tasks here and there to keep his hands busy. As he scrubbed at a particularly stubborn spot on the cast iron skillet, he asked, "Why the hell didn't you mention him before, Arc?"

Not particularly caring for his tone, Arc tried to keep her own light as she glanced over a stack of reports on the table. "Think you would have taken it well, coming back to two kids?" Arc asked, pausing to look up at Ben. "Took longer than I meant to, but now you know about the both of them. And trust me when I say Jon is the only other child of yours I know of." Mother knew they needed another Ben-lookalike showing up on their doorstep. But...Arc wasn't being completely honest with herself. She frowned harder at the reports before finally telling the whole truth. "...it took you some time to warm up to Joan, and I don't blame you for that."

"But Jon's not my child and I don't know what he wants. I know what Joan did. She wanted another hand to hold and when you started seeing her as your own I wasn't about to spoil that." Arc went back to looking over the report, not wanting to look at Ben as she said this. "He's welcome at our table and he's welcome in your heart but Joan is our daughter."

That conversation left something of a bitter taste between Ben and Arc, but neither one was willing to argue over it and Jon made it a point of staying at the Guild, so there wasn't much reason to bring it up again. It settled for the time being. 

Mythos continue on in her fight, Resm at the helm, when something odd happened. It woke Resm in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, startling both him and Ursula from bed. But Resm refused to explain what was making him panic, though he was sure she felt it too -- and then the report came in. The Door in the north was not closed...It was gone in entirety. This, along with the mysterious disappearance of entire enemy units, led Resm to call upon his generals. Something was rising in Mythos and no one knew how to explain it. But there was no great explosion of magic as it had been at the hidden kingdom of Kuriane, and the disappearance of the door was almost as silent as the night itself. Yet it woke the emperor from his rest.

After a long, tedious gathering, Resm finally returned to bed, looking more pensive than frightened. He pulled back the sheets and laid down, knowing he would not sleep for another hour or so. With a wife like Ursula, he was never sure, but Resm thought she had snuck her way into the meeting one way or another. Resm rolled over onto his side and kissed her bare shoulder, asking quietly, "We must return to the North." The thought alone filled the elf with feelings he could not even label. "...I'm sorry, love. I know it was the path to your home." 

Ursula had laid silently in the bed until he pulled back the covers, and as he kissed her shoulder, she turned to face him. There were days when it was hard to tell exactly what she was thinking--she still locked plenty away from him, as if not to worry him when he had so many other things on his mind. Her hand slid over his waist as she tucked herself against the warmth of his body, quiet for a moment. His suspicions were correct, of course, she refused to keep herself away from those meetings, and likely knew as much of the goings on in Mythos as he did, if not more. 

When she spoke, her voice was quiet, hushed in the dark of the room. "When do we leave?"

The disappearance of the door, the enemy troops--something wasn't right, her stomach tightening as she tried going over everything she knew about the surrounding area, those fighting the enemy, anything. But nothing came up, no hint or lost thread that she could tug before connecting it to the bigger picture. It didn't make sense. There was a frustrated sigh from his wife, her eyes closed as if that would help her think. "We can leave tonight, or in the morning, but--Resm, this doesn't feel right. It never has..."

"I know love, I know." Resm tried to ease just a touch of her worry with a kiss on the forehead -- though he knew it would do little, their connection sometimes felt like all he had. "But it will do us no good to turn a blind eye to it, either. We depart in the morning. Were it not so dire, I would invite Benjamin and Solomon along as well, to relive good times." He fell quiet once more, eyes closed as they pressed closer. With all his heart he loved Ursula and wanted nothing more to keep her from whatever darkness sat in the North. But he would rather she travel by his side than sneak after them. His wife was becoming more and more crafty over the years.

It only made him love her more. "Leave the worrying to me -- it is my professional hazard, after all." Resm murmured, pressing another kiss to her cheek. "If Mythos is trapping those bastards here then I say we follow her example." 

Ursula smiled a bit at that, returning his kiss with one of her own, her knuckles rubbing along his jaw. For a moment, she was loathe to get out of the warm bed, wanting to just lay at his side and rest, but now there was planning to do. Another kiss, and she was rolling out of the bed, tugging out two packs to fill with hard-wearing clothing for them both. She hid a smile as she looked through Resm's clothing. 

"Silk, velvet, and lace. God help us, things really have changed, haven't they." Once she dug deeper into his wardrobe, she found more suitable clothing for the road. The bags were soon packed, placed carefully by the door, before she crawled back into bed with him. Ursula sighed, not yet ready to lay down--her mind was too abuzz with what they would have to prepare for--as she looked at him. Her eyes softened, as she cupped his cheek. "...whatever happens, we'll figure it out. We've made it so far."

"When we return...perhaps we should have that conversation." Resm murmured after a moment, sleep finally catching up to him. "Something to look forward to." By conversation, Resm meant them finally discussing the fertility rite to allow Ursula to have the children she and he longed for so long. Resm brought a hand to her stomach and stroked the softness he found there, chuckling softly. "I love you, Ursula." That seemed to be where Resm wanted to leave things, finally drifting off to sleep. The morning was sure to bring them trouble -- he didn't want to think about what they would find in the North. 

They were up before the sun rose, leaving the both of them blinking with irritation at the transporters in the castle's basement chamber. Being Emperor meant you could afford the costly and rare transportation crystals that only a select few sorcerers knew how to create. In the chamber stood Resm, Ursula, Arcana, and Yual'to, along with a select number of Resm's guard and advisers. It was a small army that passed through the newly opened portals, leaving the air stinking with magic as they stepped into fresh snow. Resm raised his head to the sky and squinted -- they were still a bit far from the Door's actual location. The leftover magic wouldn't allow them any closer. Arc stepped close to Resm, one hand on her sword. "The air sings with power." She murmured, breath crystallized in thick puffs.

"It's different from when Ursula and I last came." Resm glanced to his wife, his long ears flicking with suspicion. He felt the tremor of the world when Ursula slammed the Door shut...yet somehow this felt different. "Nothing else of this area appears to be different..."

"So far, at least." Ursula said. In the snowy landscape, her words rang out ominously. She frowned, stepping further out into the snow, feet crunching at the thick blanket of white. So close to the source, and so hard to forget the way the magic had ricocheted throughout her body, white hot lines under her skin. Her claws twitched at the memory, a faint shiver running down her spine. Whatever might come, she could only hope that she didn't have to experience that ever again. She wasn't altogether sure if she could survive a second attempt. 

She knew the area best, leading them closer to the Door--a grand structure of stone and ice, an empty doorway that looked out over a field of white. Lonely, desolate, it was massive, enough for an army to march through with ease. Ursula had gone quiet as she listened to the talk from the others, the advisors and guards pitching in their ideas, Arcana and Resm discussing it all, from the sense of magic in the air, to the structure in front of them. Ursula let it wash over her, running her hand over the cold stone. 

Hard to believe she and Solomon had walked out of it. Harder still to believe that she was here once more. So, so much had changed in such a short amount of time.

Resm stepped beside Ursula and frowned up at the great thing. "So it did not disappear....merely changed in appearance. It's no longer alive." Any amount of magic thrown at it would likely be absorbed and left to rot. Resm huffed at the giant doorway as if the thought offended him, turning his gaze away just in time to see a trail of flowers leading into the forest. His gaze traveled down the path, pausing only when he could see no further. Like Ursula, a shiver ran through his body, skin twitching at the mere thought. With a sudden rush of urgency, Resm slammed his palms into the door and steeped his magic into it, eyes shut tight as absolutely nothing changed. He might as well be trying to pump magic into a cobblestone back in the Iron City. 

What did happen, was that the Door started to sway. Resm was a small, skinny man, but the sudden blast of magic was enough to send the massive structure toppling backwards into the sea of trees. A cloud of snow exploded around them, burying the group in an icy mist. Resm stared in dismay at the toppled Door and followed the now very clear break running through the center. "By the Mother..." 

Ursula couldn't look, her hand over her eyes as she let out a soft groan. The remaining stone looked like it had been cleaved in two, a neat, straight sheering off of the top. The others were staring at the remains in a sort of horrified fascination--most had a good idea of what the Door was, but seeing it face to face was rather impressive, even for something that allowed the enemy to invade, and Resm had destroyed it with a strong burst of magic. 

As everyone cleaned their faces of ice and snow, Ursula tugged a bit sharply at Resm's ear. "What in the world were you even thinking, doing something like that?" She looked worriedly to the break running along the center. "That could have gone so much worse!"

"She drained it." Resm whispered, eyes wide with horror. "She severed the connection between the two worlds as if it were nothing to her." The elf moved as if he did not hear a word Ursula said, taking her roughly by the wrist and stalking towards the rest of the group. They met Yual'to halfway, the ancient elf nodding to his brother in understanding. They would have until nightfall. "Ursula, stay close to Arc." He said nothing more as he marched towards his soldiers, barking orders at them until they had the camp picked up and ready to move again. 

Arc stood by Ursula's side, as confused as the rest of the group by Emperor Resm's odd turn in attitude. "Ursula, what is wrong with your husband? We only just arrived, and now we must leave? Surely he did not make us march out here just so he could topple the dead structure." 

Just as stunned as her friend, Ursula was silent, rubbing at her wrist in thought. He had never been like that before, beyond the old fantasies she used to entertain, and those didn't quite count. But coming up to the Door had rattled him, setting him off somehow, and that last burst of magic from him only seemed to make things worse. She frowned, trying to shake off her concern. "...he said something about someone draining it."

She sighed, dropping her arm as she looked at the ruins. They were moving now, quick at Resm's orders, and for a moment her heart squeezed tight. Her voice was quiet, so only she and Arc could hear, as she said, "...something isn't right here, but I intend to find out. One way or another." 

Arc watched after Resm, her mood as gloomy as the gray sky above them. "If anyone could find this truth, it would be you. For now we must group with the rest of them. Let's go." They followed after their Emperor, voices quietly drifting through the group. Some were scared about the Door breaking -- others thought it a symbol of their ruler's power. Opinions were mixed needless to say, but Arc couldn't pin how even she felt about this whole thing. Ursula was right -- something was wrong. 

They wouldn't find the answer until everyone was camped for the night, large tents occupying the otherwise lonely snow landscape. Resm, once tense and moody, seemed absolutely peachy now, though Yual'to was nowhere to be seen. It was growing close to midnight and the temperature was near freezing -- yet Resm remained where he sat, pouring over documents his advisers had written up after today.

The snow crunched behind him, a thick blanket settling over his shoulders before Ursula sat beside him. The fire was starting to die down, the cold winds buffeting the embers, and for a moment, she watched the faint flicker of light. "Resm, you should come to bed. You're only going to hurt your eyes reading in the dark."

She scooted closer, resting her head against his shoulder, and figured to share what warmth she had. As much as she cursed and swore at the cold, that heightened temperature of her body was sometimes a blessing. Ursula used the vantage point to peek at the documents in his hands, out of habit more than anything else. She teased him gently, "You can't tell me freezing your ass off out here is better than warming me up in your tent."

Resm took the warm blanket with a small 'thank you' in appreciation, his hand seeking out her own to give a gentle squeeze. "I'll be there in a moment, love." Even the documents themselves were freezing, stiff as sleets of stone and getting pulled at by the winds. The reports were boring though, and Resm liked Ursula's suggestion more, so between the two of them they carried everything back to the tent and climbed into bed. Pressed together as they were, the two slowly grew warm and ceased shivering, finally content under the blankets. "...you're not angry with me?" 

The need to ask felt natural at this point -- and he was genuinely surprised. "I may not have taken the magic from the Door but I still....albeit accidentally.....destroyed it." Resm ran a hand through Ursula's locks and moved a bit closer. "This could change everything for Mythos."

"That's a bit of an understatement." Ursula said quietly, her arm draping over his side. Now he felt more like the man she loved, rather than that distant stranger earlier. Her eyes closed as she relaxed under his gentle touch, before she said, "I'm not angry. That need to leave this place, that's long gone now."

She tucked herself against his lanky body, her warmth radiating into his skin. "...I went from an unhappy child who felt lost in a strange world, to a woman who has friends, a husband, and a place here. All that's gone is a door I never planned on using again." Her hand pressed along the small of his back, thumb rubbing idle circles. "But I think you should be very, very grateful that a priest of the Mother wasn't anywhere in sight or you'd be answering to them instead."

Her suggestion that a priest would take the Emperor to task for destroying what was essentially a piece of religious and magical history got her smiling. "But there's no 'could' about it. It will change Mythos, in a thousand little ways."

"Why worry about a priest when I can worry about the Mother herself?" Resm mumbled softly, not saying anything more on the topic. He kissed Ursula's head and re-situated the two of them until they were a bit more comfortable in the travel bed. When the feeling of sleep threatened to wash over himself, Resm pinched his wrist just so to keep himself awake. The witching hour would be soon. "Ursula, what would you do if I told you it would change Mythos today?" It sounded cryptic, but Resm didn't want to say anything more in fear of scaring her off.

He pressed on regardless. "...I have not been completely truthful with you. So I want you to come with me, in the witching hour. I will journey into the forest to join Yual." 

"...for what, exactly?" Ursula asked carefully, the back of her neck prickling. Now given the chance to find out what was on his mind, she wasn't too sure what to think that Yual was involved. The man was now on his best behavior while living on his brother's generosity, but it was hard to forget that he was the reason behind Resm's situation in its entirety. She sat up once he moved, saying, "I'll come. But--will you be safe, Resm?"

"You, of all people, know I can defend myself." Resm murmured, sitting up as well. He slid from bed and held out his hand to Ursula, waiting patiently for his wife to join him in this mysterious quest. "I have not had full access to my blood magic in some time but my knowledge is deep, ancient, and practiced. There is nothing to fear, love." When Ursula finally took his hand, Resm directed her to dress for the cold. Once they were both prepared, he threw back the tent flaps and they stepped out into the gentle snow. 

The farther they walked from camp, the harsher the cold became, until it felt as though the very blood in their veins was frozen. The moon above illuminated their path, and the footprints of Yual were easy to follow despite the snowdrift covering parts of it. Resm was quiet as they walked -- when Ursula opened her mouth to speak, he advised her to stay quiet too. Upon the stroke of the witching hour, they came upon Yual'to's robe, hanging on a nearby branch. Resm took the robe and walked a bit farther, just until they saw the elderly man standing in the snowy circle of trees. 

The snow stopped. 

Resm let out a quiet breath, clouding around his face like a plume of smoke. "When Yual'to and I were young, there was no Mother." 

"There were no gods."

"Simply a woman stirring her magic throughout the land."

"When her witches came for me I knew we were doomed."

"And then the rest were claimed by the curse."

"Now I live again."

"She has hunted me since I broke my curse and knew me only as the strongest...now here before the alter, my brother, the man with a thousand souls trapped inside him."

Resm smiled, his gaze almost tender as the sky grew unnaturally dark. "The Mother would do well to meet her unruly child." 

An answering rumble came from overhead, a sudden crack of light and ear-splitting sound. Ursula had stumbled back, her hands shielding her eyes, sure she had gone blind--until the light faded, her vision slowly returning.

Lightning had struck down, forming a smoking crater before them. And in the center, a woman--almost human, but more. A crown of antlers encircled silver locks, a single stripe of blue over stormy grey eyes, and for what little she wore, the freezing cold didn't bother her in the slightest. Frost bitten hands pressed together as she surveyed the three, tusks bared once she gave the three a thin smile. 

There was no warmth in that smile. 

Ursula held tight against Resm's arm, unable to help the low growl escaping from deep inside her. All of her senses were saying to run, hackles raised as the Mother's eyes swept over her. Her smile grew, sharp and glittering in the darkness. 

"It has been a long, long time since I was called to this land..."

An answering rumble came from overhead, a sudden crack of light and ear-splitting sound. Ursula had stumbled back, her hands shielding her eyes, sure she had gone blind--until the light faded, her vision slowly returning.

Lightning had struck down, forming a smoking crater before their hiding spot. And in the center, a woman--almost human, but more. A crown of antlers encircled silver locks, a single stripe of blue over stormy grey eyes, and for what little she wore, the freezing cold didn't bother her in the slightest. Frost bitten hands pressed together as she surveyed the land around her, an almost wistful look to her gaze. 

Such a long time since she last came to this land. Almost a lifetime ago.

Ursula gripped tight to Resm's arm, her senses screaming at her to run, to leave before they were spotted. For someone so small, the Mother radiated a magic that was almost a physical force, trees groaning under the weight of it. She didn't want to think of what could happen if they were caught in a fight. 

A fight with a goddess. Her fingers tightened over Resm's arm as she shot him a look. She didn't normally doubt her husband, but by god, she could only hope he had a plan.

 

Resm slowly pressed a finger to his lips, the universal signal of 'quiet for now'. They had a show to watch. Where the goddess had landed, Yual'to watched, his gaze almost bored as the both surveyed the land and the effect her magic had on it. Somehow it seemed...smaller. At least for now. "Mother," Yual'to spread his arms as wide as he could -- a man, bent with age, standing in knee-high snow, gave the goddess the best bow he could manage. "Our paths cross once more."

Though the Mother had yet to turn to the past king, he continued softly, no longer having to yell over the howl of the winds. Everything was quiet. "How long has it been since you visited this realm? The land is falling to chaos...." Resm watched, his breath caught in his throat, "....some of mine own making."

"Do you remember me, Mother? Do you remember your peer, Resm'iel Kuriane?" Yual'to croaked, clasping his hands together in a gesture not unlike her own. "I remember your witches all too well."

"Resm'iel was no peer of mine." The Mother said firmly, looking over the old man. Slowly, she turned to face him, her voice soft, but carrying well over the wind and snow. "But I remember the name, and the man along with it. I remember you finding audience with my witches, all too well. You couldn't be bothered with a knife in the back, so you looked to others to do the work for you."

Her hands pressed tightly together, white cracks growing over the blackened skin, before she relaxed. "And now...you've grown old. And out of your time...Mythos fits oddly around you now, Yual'to."

"Is that how you see your creation?" Yual'to asked softly. Old and out of its time...yes, that suited Mythos quite well. But his expression soured all the same -- he didn't like being called out for his incompetence, even when working with the one he sought to undo. "Regardless, you came to me in this witching hour. Have you come to drain me of life as you did the Door?" The silence between the two stretched like the expanse of the night sky, knowledge finally dawning on Yual'to. It dawned on Resm too, in slight horror as the magic of his spell activated. The Mother wasn't the one who killed the Door.

Runes from underneath the snow burst to life, powerful blood magic that only those of legend could perform. Resm burst from the brush but it was too late to undo what was done -- he had the Mother locked in a spell of his own making, and had subsequently turned the eyes of the gods to him once more. "She has abandoned Mythos!" Yual'to cried out when Resm approached, the Emperor pushing his brother aside. 

"The least she could do is answer a few questions about our past before we're ripped apart by her Children." Resm tried not to let his voice waver as he stood before the goddess. Even with their matching power, Resm could feel his will bending towards the Mother. He let his gaze fall down on her. "Like why she agreed to let her witches throw me into an immortal curse and then let our kingdom rot in silver." 

The Mother didn't curse him, or raise her voice in shock and anger, as the trap sprung around her. She didn't answer immediately, raising her hand to reach past the barrier--quickly pulling back at the way it left her hand smoking, the heat unexpected for someone so cold. Her jaw tightened, her eyes darkening in anger as clouds began to pile high in the sky, sharp flashes of lightning skittering across the surface. 

But there was no lightning to strike either down, much as it blustered and threatened. For the time being, they were safe--but for how long, was an uncertainty. 

At his question, the Mother turned to the emperor. Her eyes still hard, an anger simmering deep inside, she spoke in a harsh tone. "Time flows easier over you now than it did then. You were meant for now, not the past...if your brother hadn't betrayed you, the world would have found another way to bring you right here, right now."

She gestured impatiently. "Can you not see it? What would have happened if you had stayed behind in your rotting kingdom? The silver only gave that corruption a visible form! You would have been nothing there, lost to history. My witches know their part--instigators, all of them, pulling their threads and keeping Mythos on its course." She scoffed quietly. "Abandoned Mythos...I follow behind each step, I allow it to grow into something great. Just as I've allowed the same for you."

Resm felt the anger build inside him but for a moment before it spilled over. "So what did the sacrifice of my court and family bring me to this age for? What good has it done? You could have swept aside your hand and rid Mythos of the invaders! You could have prevented all this needless suffering! And look at Mythos now...look how she bleeds...worn-torn and bloodied for all the good I've done for her." Teeth clenched, Resm continued, slowly stalking forward. The moment was there, tempting as it was, to steal away all of Yual'to's power into himself and kill the goddess for the false prophet she was.

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, a shiver down his spine. "To be fair....you could have done the same." 

Resm wretched himself from the new grip and fell to the ground, gaping up at possibly the brightest man he had ever seen. Where the goddess cracked with ice and darkness, he shimmered with it, somehow radiating warmth instead. Dread swallowed Resm whole, though he had long known what he was doing. "I will release your wife for a wish." 

"You'll release her when I kill you." The Father commented, his gaze flicking over to the Mother in her barrier prison. "Love, are you alright?"

Her hard gaze actually grew warm, fond as she looked to her husband. Her hand pressed again at the barrier, fingers splayed wide as they smoked and charred against the magic, before she withdrew it. "My pride's been given a blow, but I'll survive." She looked back to the men, quiet with shock at the Father's appearance. Mythos made passing mention of him in their stories--the Mother needed a husband, after all, but she largely dominated what was known. Still, there was no mistaking him for who he was. 

Certainly not with the way she looked at him.

"They still have their role to play, love." She reminded him, chiding but gentle. As angry as she was at being caught, plans couldn't be led astray over a bit of hurt pride. The Mother glanced to Resm, adding shortly, "You don't bargain with gods. Drop the barrier."

"Bargaining is an option when speaking to the one who drew you back to Mythos....to the one who saved your land. Am I not owed that much?" Resm spread his hands in a weak attempt to appear confident, but he dropped them as soon as he saw the Father's bored gaze. He turned to look back to the Mother, reminded of her tender look, and spoke again, quickly, saying, "What if the wish is not for mine own benefit?" 

Resm could feel the Father's eyes trailing up and down the barrier -- he knew he didn't have long before one of them broke the spell. "My wife, she wants nothing more than to have a child," That finally drew their attention, "but she cannot because she is barren. I could attempt blood magic, but it would do more harm than good...but you, you both could guarantee a healthy child for her. Please. That is why I...it's been my reason for everything." 

The Father blinked at Resm, nearly dumbfounded. "Everything?"

"Since I fell in love with her." He was trying his best not to look where Ursula hid away. "My wife is the only reason I live today."

The Father hesitated before turning to his own wife, his own conviction faltering. What harm was this, to grant such a small thing? 

Thoughtful as she considered him, there was just the slightest hint of approval in those stormy eyes. He had changed since they last crossed paths. Her eyes flickered to a slight movement in the trees--Ursula had heard plenty, stunned as her insides twisted uncertainly. Risking the wrath of two gods, just to ask for that, it seemed insane. And amazing, all at the same time, her heart feeling ready to burst. 

It nearly did, when the goddess looked right at her, even in her cover under the trees, as the Mother said, "I can only do so much if the barrier is in place." Her agreement to his request was clear, as she looked expectantly at Resm. "Lower it, and bring her to me."

"You've not changed much either." The Father smiled at that, finally, saying softly, "You could have ripped this thing down as soon as it came up." Swallowing his guilt, Resm lowered the barrier with trembling hands and looked expectantly towards Ursula. He beckoned her to come over, embracing her when she finally drew near. Together, side by side, they stood before the Father and Mother and waited for whatever was going to come down upon them. 

The Mother slowly took Ursula's hands in hers, frost bitten thumbs rubbing lightly over the delicate scales of the young woman's hands. Hints of silver scarring still lingered, a testament of the illness she had contracted from venturing into the ancient kingdom. Ursula couldn't help but flinch, the touch icy cold. The goddess made a thoughtful noise, ignoring the men around them. They were unimportant, a background for women's business to be conducted against. She murmured, "You already had the cards stacked against you before you took ill..."

"But you can do something. You're the Mother, you--you have to be able to do something." Ursula whispered, almost not wanting to believe that things could change. She had grown so used to the thought of being barren, that it hurt to even think of getting her hopes up. Her heart squeezed at the small smile the Mother gave her, warm and gentle from a woman so quick to anger earlier. 

"You'll have your child." She said softly, as Ursula gasped sharply, a pain spreading from her stomach and outwards. She sank into the snow, clutching at her belly, still gripping tightly to the Mother's cold hands. The goddess knelt down, murmuring, "I can give you one, and only one. Your body cannot handle much more than that." She pressed a gentle kiss to Ursula's knuckles, as the woman let out a sharp sob of pain, her body wracking against whatever magic worked its way through her. The Mother held her hands until she went limp, cradled in the goddess's arms, her breathing harsh and ragged. The Mother glanced up, that warm gaze now cool again. "The child will grow, healthy and strong. I suggest you take your wife back to your camp."

"Thank you. A thousand times, thank you." Resm knelt down to cradle his wife in his arms, staring at wonderment at her sleeping form. If the Mother was to be believed, then his wife was now pregnant, just how she wished. And though Resm knew he would get an ear-full later, he also knew she would be grateful and good to their child when they finally came into this world. The knowledge of that alone almost made it impossible to stand. But his own trial was not over, no, for the Father soon bent over and pressed his hand to the Emperor's forehead.

"Should you ever call my wife to these lands against her wishes, you will not live to see your child grow. As it is, you are not fit for the power you hold." The Father murmured, slowly pulling away. Though Resm felt no different, he knew something great had been taken from him. With his hand extended, the Father took the Mother's hand and gave it a fond kiss. "Your daughter is causing trouble in these lands." He murmured as they walked into the forest. "Though I suppose our son is as well. Did he truly wake them from their slumber...?" 

Resm stood there, speechless and powerless in the snow, until slowly he carried Ursula back to camp, Yual'to in tow.

Ursula was warm in his arms, her face pressed against his chest until they reached the camp. Her hands gripped at him once she was back in the bedroll, not quite as out as she seemed. She pulled him down, breath tickling against his ear as she whispered, "Resm--I love you, dearly, with all my heart, and if you ever try to capture a damned goddess again, it won't be her that you have to fear."

Gazing up at him, grey eyes soft in the growing light from the slowly rising sun, she moved to kiss him. "I can't believe you would do all that..."

Ursula was warm in his arms, her face pressed against his chest until they reached the camp. Her hands gripped at him once she was back in the bedroll, not quite as out as she seemed. She pulled him down, breath tickling against his ear as she whispered, "Resm--I love you, dearly, with all my heart, and if you ever try to capture a damned goddess again, it won't be her that you have to fear."

Gazing up at him, grey eyes soft in the growing light from the slowly rising sun, she moved to kiss him. "I can't believe you would do all that..."

"Love, if you did not think I would rise in the ranks of the rebel army, become Emperor, destroy my childhood home, enslave my brother, hide my power, continue this war, spend countless hours devising a rune to entrap a goddess, and then topple her last vestige of power in this land in order to draw her and her husband out of hiding to make a wish for your sake, then I fear we've a bit to discuss." Resm said it all lovingly, but the actual context of what he said was......disturbing to say the least. "But regardless, yes dear, I'll not do it again."

Resm met Ursula for their kiss, smoothing his hand over her forehead when they finally pulled apart. "How do you feel? When the Mother placed her hands on you, your face turned as white as the snow...." 

"I feel...better now. It felt like she was driving a live wire through me." Ursula muttered, pressing her hand against her stomach. Too much like the night she had tried closing the doorway, that magic running its course through her. But this had been centered, forcing her body to prepare for the life now promised to be growing within her.

She half-expected something to happen as she rested her hand against her stomach, but she knew that was foolish. It was far too soon, for one. Ursula let out a soft breath, looking at him. "But, I'm fine now, I promise. It's just strange knowing this is actually happening..." There was a soft laugh as she pressed her hand to her face. "...scary, actually. In a few months, I can't just sneak around and find things out for you like I've done. I actually have to be careful now."

She peeked at him between her fingers. "...when should we tell the others?"

"As soon as you'd like, love. Though you know Arc will huff at us both if we don't tell her first." Resm smiled a little at the thought, bringing her close for a kiss again. "And though I do not doubt your newly budding instincts as a mother, she may provide insight you and I do not yet possess." After a moment, Resm frowned. While the look of concentration typically incited a lightshow from his tattoos, they remained dull and lifeless, an odd sight indeed when your skin typically glowed a rainbow of color along the lines. "Her....daughter, yes? Her daughter..." 

Oh, this was completely odd. Resm, struggling to remember something? That was never an issue before for the blood elf. Yet here he was, attempting to remember Joan's name. "We should start to prepare as soon as we return to the castle. I, ah, may need to make a list of things to do." Resm turned here and there, finally finding a quill and paper to write a short note to himself. "Prepare.....for child.....and dissolve....army..." The emperor frowned again. "An odd list." 

"...Resm, are you feeling alright?" Ursula asked, starting to sit up. She had never seen him quite like that. He had his odd moments, to be sure, but nothing quite so...scatter-brained. But he had been working with vast amounts of magic, more than she knew was possible. She could only chalk it up to exhaustion of some sort, likely eased by rest. 

Catching his hands before he got them splattered with ink, she said gently, "You need sleep. We both do. You've been working too hard...we'll leave in the morning, and once we get home, you can start whatever plans you had in mind. Fair enough?"

"Oh, alright." Resm seemed content with that, smiling slightly as they both got ready for bed. Once they fell into the sheets, however, Resm made sure Ursula was pressed full against him, the worries from earlier only now starting to melt away. They weren't killed, maimed, nor exiled his stubborn need, thank the gods. And she was with child, his child, and had been guaranteed by the Mother herself for health. Even if the Father had stolen all of his blood magic, Resm would have no regrets. Well. Maybe a small one.

With a gentle trail of kisses down Ursula's neck, Resm sighed and said, "I know it is good that they gifted you with a child...but I would not have minded so terribly if they simply gave you the ability, and allowed me a few more chances with you." Oh, someone was feeling a bit squirmy in bed tonight. But the emperor settled down after a few more kisses, knowing he wasn't going to get anything for his teasing. "Are we allowed to label this as a miracle? Or must we give credit to the gods?"

Ursula smiled, well aware of his desire. He would have his time, provided they were home, warm and comfortable, rather than in a tent surrounded by snow. She caught his hand, pressing kisses along his knuckles, a quiet promise for another night. "It's a miracle no matter how you look at it. We'll be parents. And maybe now Chaunce and the council will stop wringing their hands about you establishing your own little dynasty."

She buried against him, eyes closing with a soft sigh. "...is it bad that I want the child now? Can I be a bit impatient?" So many years of wanting and now she had to wait just a bit longer. She wanted their child in her arms now, impossible as that was. "...I hope they look just like you."

"I hope they don't as they may come tearing their way out of you....you've seen Maddox." His illegitimate child was starting to show all the signs of being a mixed-race blood elf -- already taller than all the children her age, with big hands and big feet she'll grow into some day. Maybe sooner than her mother intended or wished, at that. "A child of a blood elf and a dragon? They'll be fearsome indeed. But....perhaps a bit cute, as well. Little scales, here and there, and big eyes, and a magic reservoir big enough to hold all of Mythos. It will be an interesting few years...let's not rush them just yet." 

Resm tucked himself a bit more comfortably and closed his own eyes, imagining their bouncing baby now. It was still hard not to think of his previous children, especially the one he lost. "....but we can talk of names, maybe?"   
"Absolutely." Ursula murmured. They would have nine months to settle on names, how to decorate the nursery, dealing with all the proclamations. Probably best to start as soon as possible--she really had no idea how much more work an emperor's child would be. "Has to be a name suitable for a future emperor...or empress, I suppose."

She had to bite back her yawn. As excited as she was, that night had taken its toll, and there was only so much time before the morning light would arrive, signaling their return home. Already she was starting to doze off, safe in his arms, dreaming of a future child. They'd be beautiful, and with a father like Resm, guaranteed to be amazing. 

The forthcoming birth of Mytho's heir wasn't the only thing the castle prepared for when Resm returned to the castle. They also prepared for the inevitable chaos that would surround the news of the Door falling to pieces -- destroyed by their own Emperor, no less. While many feared the gods' response to the destruction of their creation, others saw it as a defiant sign that Mythos had finally turned the tide of war. And when the announcement of his miracle heir was announced, all his people swore undeniably that he was the savior they desperately longed for. As if there was any doubt in the first place. 

Those that muttered about Ursula's heritage softened when they learned of her humble, farmer roots, though the aristocrats never quite stopped being snotty. Though when they mysteriously fell ill anytime they spoke poorly of the new Empress, those blabbering mouths soon fell quiet instead. Plus there were better things to talk about -- the mass surrender of the invader's army, for one. Scared to shit of whatever was picking them off in the shadows, hoards of them fell to the castle steps in an attempt at salvation, though few ever found it. 

With the war finally drawing to a close, Resm made another difficult decision, one that suddenly left a vast majority of his capital without jobs -- he disbanded the majority of the army. Some called it madness, some said it was a power move...whatever it was, it left Arc without employment. Most saw it coming, with the few remaining scraps of generals that littered Mythos, but the shock of it was still very present. While most accepted whatever temporary work was shoved their way, Arc found herself wandering home and feeling a bit lost.

"It's insane, isn't it? It feels too soon." Arc mumbled around her glass of wine, sitting beside Benjamin and watching Joan review her studies on the floor of their living room. "I know he's feeling like a god at the moment with Ursula pregnant and his enemy literally exposing their bellies in surrender, but...to leave your regalia so tiny..."

"The humans that are left to fight are leaderless." Benjamin said, settling back. A flash of his old life rose up, as he added, "I know it doesn't seem like it makes sense, but look at the big picture. With no leaders, those guys aren't a threat anymore. There's no doorway to go back home to, so they're stuck, and they're scrambling for supplies just to feed themselves." He looked to Arc. "So you know what's going to happen? They're gonna settle back into their old lives as...whatever they were before enlisting, they'll settle into communities here in Mythos...and in a few years, we're gonna have a lot more like Ursula and Solomon popping up."

"Leaving a standing army only leaves people antsy. You tend to look for reasons to use them." He said, pouring Arc another glass. "I know it sucks not having that job anymore, but...something will come your way. Now you can be with Joan a bit more, and we can enjoy ourselves. Just--think of it as a small break before your next big adventure."

"It has been awhile since I last had quality time with Joan....right, little cub?" Arc smiled when Joan glanced up and gave her a smile, before the girl went right back to running her hands over the special books her parents had gifted her. "And Resm did pay me a fair wage, so at least we won't be in any financial trouble, for some time." Arc's hand found Ben's and gave it a soft squeeze, glad to be home for even the smallest amount of time. "It's been some time since we had any quality time, as well. And I know you've been more than happy to look after Joan and keep the house in order, but I think you still my thanks." 

Draining the last of her glass, Arc stood and glanced at her two loves. "Arcana Coldiron knows no rest! So I will help in all the ways I can -- starting with dinner." That immediately grabbed Joan's attention away from her books, the small girl immediately jumping to her feet and looking expectantly at her mother. 

"I want Yummy bread with purple!" She pleaded, grasping at her mother's coattails. "Can we?" But no human would be able to understand that kind of request, even her Mother, so Arc glanced to Ben with a confused look. "Benny, tell Mommy! Yummy bread!"

Benjamin cleared his throat as he gently pried Joan from her mother's coat tails, scooping her up with ease. "It's a sandwich I've been getting her to eat." He mouthed the word 'healthy' over Joan's head, clearly a dangerous word to say around the girl. Following Arc into the kitchen, he pulled out what she needed for yummy bread--a fresh loaf of honey wheat bread, sprinkled with oats on the top crust, peanut butter, and blackberry jam. Judging by the jars, it looked as though Benjamin took the time to prepare it himself, with his own twist to the peanut butter to make it sweet and creamy. 

Settling Joan in her favorite chair, he grabbed a mug she always insisted on drinking from, and poured her a good glass of milk. "It'll be good to have you home more. I really think it'll do you--" Benjamin paused, watching her prepare the sandwich and slide it on a plate as though it were done. "Uh. Arc? You gotta cut the crusts off for her."

The world came to a stop. Arc stared at Ben, sandwich in hand, and felt the floor beneath her drop and the open abyss of time and space swallow her whole. Dramatic music played in the background. Her vision blacked out until all she could see was Ben's mouth forming the words that called out her mistake -- her mistake for her own daughter. And in a second it snapped back, Arc pulled from the other world to choke out, "Oh." She even looked at Joan for confirmation, shaky as her daughter parroted Benjamin's suggestion. Cut the crusts off, Arc. What are you doing, Arc? Don't you know your own daughter?

Arc was half amazed and mortified. No one knew her daughter better than her.

The crusts disposed of, Arc placed the plate down in front of Joan and watched her dig in with excitement. "I never realized you were making some of these foods from scratch, Ben, that's really impressive." Also sexy? Was domestic Ben kind of scaring her and arousing her? This was too much in one minute to process. "You've really become an amazing father." 

"Jury's still a bit out on that one." Ben chuckled, glancing at Joan as she enjoyed her sandwich. She still largely considered it a joke that he was her father, as close as the two were getting. He shrugged, adding, "...some of the gals in the market noticed me coming around a lot so they've been sharing tips about making food. With everything that had been going on, you know how tight supplies were getting, so it just made sense to learn to make it myself. Cheaper buying the ingredients than the final product, and I can make it to how we like it."

He glanced again at Joan, smiling a bit. "Joan helps me out too. It's messy and she can sneak tastes when she thinks I ain't looking."

"If it's on my face then I can eat it!" Joan protested from the table, clearly taking offense to being called out like that. Despite saying that though, her plate was cleaned and her sandwich completely obliterated. There was nothing left of the mostly healthy meal, and Arc felt a surge of pride at that. Her girl knew how to eat. "....besides, you only become a Daddy if you marry another Mommy or Daddy. Anyone knows that. Duh." That burst of sass left Arc laughing, wondering where her daughter had heard that. She sounded like a 4 year old philosopher. 

"Then how am I your Mommy, Joan?" Arc prodded for the right answer, watching as her daughter thought it over by picking up each remaining oat on her face. "I'm not married." 

Joan watched Arc take her plate with a frown. "Resm said so and he knows everything." 

"Well I asked Resm once," Arc said, "and he said Ben was your Daddy." 

That seemed to make Joan pause with thought, the young girl finally looking to Benjamin, her face fierce. "Daddy, I want another yummy bread." 

Benjamin looked down at that stubborn child, strong-willed and determined in a way that only a child of his and Arc's could be. A wave of pride washed over him, his beard hiding his smile as he turned away to make her another yummy bread, sans crust as she preferred. "Fine, but drink your milk too. You want to grow up strong like your Mama."

For awhile, everything felt perfect. Arc had been gone from the daytime family life for some time, so it took a little bit for her to find the groove again, but it wasn't so difficult. Joan definitely enjoyed having both parents at her disposal, though it became painfully obvious who knew more about her smallest dislikes and preferences. Arc was doing her best to catch up, and she was doing so, but she had mixed feelings about losing to Ben, though she did love the man. Somewhere along the line he had really stepped up to plate...and she had lagged behind. Instead of getting too depressed about it, Arc let his knowledge and tenderness impress her.

And the care and devotion he provided for their daughter awoke something new inside her. Arc wasn't quite sure what it was until the day the new Princess of Mythos was born. After nine months of Resm absolutely lavishing upon his pregnant wife, their hard work finally came to fruition -- gifting them a bubbling baby girl. Princess Beatrix was the talk of the country, but only special groups of people had gotten to meet her thus far as the child and mother both were still in recovery. But of course the Coldiron/Kirkwall family was first to be invited to see. 

Sitting on the bed next to Ursula, Joan watched as Bea yawned and squirmed, looking as if she had seen the gods themselves. When Ursula finally let Joan hold her, the young girl took great cares to be just as gentle as Ursula had been; supporting the head and bottom, holding her close but not too tight. Joan was spellbound. And when Emperor Resm asked if he could get a chance to hold Bea, Joan quietly but firmly told him, "No." 

After a liter of questions (When can Bea play? Can she come over? What does she like to eat? Does she like swords or lances?) Joan was finally coaxed away from the newborn baby. Walking hand-in-hand with Arc and Ben, Joan finally voiced what both parents already knew, "I want a baby sister." 

Ben exchanged a look with Arc over Joan's head. They had made some progress since he had come to live with them once more, but another child was a large step, especially out of a marriage. Which--well, hell. He rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh, saying, "Well--Joan, life has some funny turns. You never know what might happen."

He squeezed her hand gently. "But you had fun with the princess, and I'm sure Resm won't mind you coming over to help Ursula with the baby, so...until any new baby siblings come around, you'll have her. Right, Arc?"

Ben had lived with them for more than a year -- progress was an understatement. It was like he had never been gone in the first place. Except, well, Arc still didn't have a ring on her finger. "Little cub, you have both Jon and princess Bea to give all your attention to." The Jon squabble had been solved months ago, thankfully, leaving Arc with two arguments at the moment. "Aren't you happy with just us?" Internally, Arc didn't think it was such a terrible idea -- but the look on Ben's face made her swallow that right down. She might be ready, but he wasn't. And she could live with that. 

"No." Joan was blunt, to the point, kicking her legs out angrily as they continued on. "Jon is always at the Guild and the baby is going to be in the castle all the time." Her lower lip trembled and the threat of tears emerged quite suddenly. Arc blanched at her daughter, unused to having her cry over emotional things like, ever. "You don't understand!" Joan popped out of existence with a huff, leaving both her parents alone on the road leading home. 

Knowing Joan had just transported home, Arc stopped and sighed, rubbing her hands over her face. "Of all the things to want...." Chancing a peek at Ben, Arc said, "We could get her a puppy."

"A puppy..." He repeated, in a thoughtful tone. Joan was old enough to learn the basics of caring for one, and a happy, wriggly ball of fluff would prove to be the distraction needed from thoughts of siblings. At least until her parents got things in order between themselves. "Not too bad of an idea, really. You think she's ready for that kind of responsibility?"

Rules would have to be laid down, he knew. And they would have to get a young pup, just to get used to his smell--older dogs tended to growl in his presence, and the braver ones tended to lunge after him. He added, still half in thought, "She's gonna have to learn she can't just pop through a portal if a dog's following her. At least not until she can account for that too."

Arc's face paled a bit at the thought of Joan accidentally jumping through a portal with her puppy trailing after her -- ok, a puppy was a no-go. But what else would they get her? It couldn't be small and lame, lest the girl grow even more certain in the coolness of having a sibling. Mother guide her. Arc bit her lip in thought but came up blank. The best they could do for the time was gaslight her in some way or another, and that didn't feel quite right. Glancing up at Ben, Arc sighed. There wasn't an easy way to please both the people she loved. "No puppy then. Perhaps she'll forget after a nice night of rest? It's happened before. And....we can sleep on it too. See if anything better comes to mind."

Arc indicated her head towards the house and asked, "Shall we?" 

He nodded, his arm around her waist as they walked into their shared home. By the sounds of it, Joan was sulking away in her room, angry little feet stomping away. Ben sighed as they changed into their nightclothes, kissing Arc's forehead. "I'll join you in a sec. I'm gonna get her tucked in and see if she won't calm down for bed."

Adjusting his sleep pants, he tread quietly to the other room, and cracked the door open a bit. "Joan? Mind letting your old man in?"

Though it did not take long for Joan to answer the door, she still did not look happy when it creaked open. "I don't wanna talk." Joan promptly said, turning away but leaving the door open in invitation. She continued to sulk around her room until eventually she plopped down on the circular rug in the middle of her room, arms crossed and face sour. Someone was in a bad mood. And though she had just insisted that she didn't want to talk, Joan immediately started to blab, saying, "Mommy will say we should get a dog."

Joan rolled onto her stomach. "I hate dogs. They smell like, really weird." Not that babies smelled much better, but perhaps not smelling like a dog was all it took in her young eyes. "It was fun when you came to live with us Daddy, why wouldn't a sister be two times that fun? Grownups don't get it." Joan huffed again and said, in a small voice, "Well, Mommy gets it." 

Benjamin knelt beside her, grunting as his knees gave a loud creak. Gods, he was getting old. He smoothed back her wild hair, slightly amused at how well she knew her parents' plans. It seemed that they wouldn't need to worry about finding a suitable puppy for their girl. He made himself comfortable, forearms resting against his knees, as he picked his words carefully. "Mommy gets a lot of things. She's pretty damn smart like that. But..."

He showed her his hands, broad and scarred, and no rings. Benjamin explained gently, "You know we ain't married. And I wanna do right by your mama, before we start thinking of giving you a sister." He cleared his throat. If this wasn't enough of a distraction, he wouldn't know what else could work. "So, that means I gotta propose to her. And I might need your help, if you can keep it secret."

Joan hummed from her spot on the rug, looking as thoughtful as a young girl her age could. Finally, she gave a small nod, turning to look up at Benjamin. "My magic is good for people not objects though. I don't think I can help, Daddy. Not really." And what little girl didn't want to help her parents get hitched? Joan suddenly looked lost. "I can keep it our secret though. For a little bit." Joan sat up and made a grabby motion towards Ben. Obviously the little girl wanted to see the ring her father was about to propose with. 

Instead, she asked, "What weapon will it be?" 

Ben laughed, saying, “You know your mother too well.” He rummaged in his pockets, before pulling out a small box, far too little to hold even the tiniest of daggers. He popped it open to reveal a simple gold band. “As do I. If she punches anyone with the hand this is on, we don’t have to worry about lost gemstones.”

Maybe not as impressive as, say, a sword that could entrap the souls of her enemies, or an axe that sang as it swung on the battlefield, but it was what he had to offer. He pulled the ring out so she could look at the inscription, engraved on the inside of the band. “To always be at your side. What do you think?” He rested his chin in his hand. “Too sappy?”

"Like a good weapon." Now Joan really did sound like her mother, saying something like that. She studied the gold ring with a sort of forced interest but gave her dad a little smile all the same, registering that this was supposed to be just as important as any badass weapon Arc dragged home. It wasn't very eye catching though, not like Uncle Resm and Aunt Ursula's wedding bands. "When are you going to give it to Mama? Should I be there? You wouldn't do it without me, right?" Here came the slew of questions!

“Hold on, hold on.” He hushed her, hoping her voice didn’t carry very far to Arc’s room. Once she was settled, Ben said, “I’m gonna give it to her soon, and I’m wanting you there, yes. Someone’s gotta distract her for me to plant it.” He chuckled, looking at his fierce, energetic daughter. She was, without a doubt, the best source for a distraction. “So you and me, we’re gonna plan this out, and make it perfect.”

He extended his hand. “Deal?”

"OK." Joan took Ben's giant hand in her own and gave it an enthusiastic shake. Between the two of them, they were sure to figure something fun out, though all that really mattered to Arc was that the two of them were involved at all. She glanced up when Ben finally returned, turning back to her book after a moment's glance. "I don't hear stomping. What finally got her to calm down?" And though Arc smiled with knowing, she didn't say anything on the matter, just remained in bed looking beautiful and completely innocent. Her red hair tumbled like a waterfall over one shoulder, one strap of her nightgown following suit, with a finger poised on the line of text she had just started to read. 

That Arc gave Ben the time of day was nothing short of a miracle. That she loved him was something more. And that she would say yes to his proposal seemed unbelievable. But Arc didn't feel the same way. No, she felt like the lucky one when Ben entered the room and smiled at her, and her alone. "Maybe it's a Dad secret; I understand if you can't share just yet." 

Benjamin soon joined her in bed, his arm slipping around her waist as he gave her a fond kiss. “Yeah, but you’ll find out eventually. Can’t keep anything from you.” 

He rested his head on her shoulder, his eyes on the book in her hands. The plans for a proposal was definitely what was needed to distract Joan from siblings, at least until her parents had things settled. He kissed her bare shoulder fondly. “Just glad I got Joan to relax. Poor kid gets an idea in her head and she doesn’t let go until it’s replaced by another.”

Benjamin stifled his yawn as he relaxed against Arcana. Life was...good. Years ago, if anyone said he’d be a stay-at-home father, happy to chase a child through the house and welcome his lover when she came home, he would have asked if they were mad. And now, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Arc let her fingers run through his hair for a few more page turns, pausing only when she reached the end of the chapter. Ben looked to be drifting off so with a small sigh, Arc shut her book and turned off the bedside lamp, getting the two of them settled in for bed, a few mumbling whispers exchanged until the both of them drifted to sleep. Yeah, things were good. And for the next month, things were a bit quiet. Joan had suspiciously stopped talking about getting a little sister, beings as good a daughter as possible for the time being. Arc didn't question it, the peak of the summer heat making her miserable in all the most horrible ways. 

Their summer nights were closed with plates full of watermelon and sticky kisses; it wasn't long before things continued in their cycle. Though Joan was looking to start school in the coming fall, as her 5th birthday had come and gone, and that would be a strange turn.

As such, the trio decided on one last hurrah -- a trip so deep into the woods that not even Resm and his royal army would be able to find them. The dappling light through the forest left the path only mildly lit, and Arc kept her hand in Joan’s as they moved from stone to stone. Ben forged ahead as a bear, both clearing a path for his girls and scoping for any danger. 

Arc had traveled this path time-and-again in her younger days -- and though war tore the earth and made the path ugly, it was still a known land to Arcana. She picked Joan up with a soft, ‘hup!’ and smiled as her daughter squealed with delight. 

The clearing that Arc remembered was not far; the weather was good, and her company in good spirits, making for a pleasant trip over all. In fact, Joan was almost suspicious in her good behavior. Arc expected at least one petulant cry for a snack by this point seeing as they were two hours into their little hike, but no, Joan only continued to giggle and kick her wee legs with each lift into the air. 

It was unclear when he shifted, but by the time Arc chanced another look up, she found Ben turned human once more and laying out their picnic blanket along the stone ruins that Arc had discovered so long ago. The area was overgrown with ivy and twisted tree roots, but they were no match for Ben’s set jaw and determined hands. 

They ate their packed lunch while Joan moved about the ancient trees, dipping in and out of their sight with yells of triumph. “One of us is going to have to carry her home.” Arc sighed lovingly. 

“Aye.” Benjamin tossed Arc a red apple, and waited until she had cracked it in half to steal his fair share back. “I can carry her. I know you’ve been keeping her attention this entire way.” 

Arc just shrugged and bit into her apple. Joan was rushing towards them now, her wee hands clenched in tight fists. Immediately, Arc knew the child was hiding something, and waited as she was approached. The gold ring dropped into her hands was a surprise -- it looked far too clean to be lost way out here. 

Her brow furrowed as Arc twisted it between forefinger and thumb. “Where did you find this, love?” When Joan was quiet, Arc flicked up her blue eyes and met a sheepish gaze that looked eerily like Ben’s own. “Joan.” 

“I found it where Daddy told me.” 

Arc turned to Ben and confirmed that, yes, she had somehow fallen into an incredibly obvious trap. She held the ring up and let the gold catch the filtered sunlight in a dance of promises. “I think I asked for a weapon.”

Without another word, Ben placed a dagger between them. 

“I do.” Arc smiled as she held her hand out for Ben. He kissed her knuckles in reverence after sliding the ring into place, and Joan grabbed both her parents in a hug. 

These words were repeated the day they were wed, a rare sunny day in the North, the winter snows soon giving way to spring green. Benjamin grinned as the sage was burned around them, suddenly drawing his new wife close for a deep kiss, dipping her back to the cheers of the crowd. The return to the north gave him the chance to pull out the old kilt and bear skin, proper attire for any man worth his northern heritage. He looked wild and handsome, the brisk breeze playing with his hair, a grin hidden behind that thick beard. It said to everyone, here she is--my wife, the woman who bested me time and time again, the woman I love.

Arc had done well not to ignore her own Northern heritage -- though she wore a modern white wedding dress, her clan's colors were wrapped around her arms to keep her warm. 

As if she didn't have a newly appointed husband to do that. 

She laughed when Benjamin swept her off her feet, arms circling around his neck to keep them both stable as the party marched onward. This is my husband, the man who challenged me time and time again, the man I love. Winter still nipped at them, but even Arc could tell Spring loomed close. Good thing there was enough food to keep her husband busy in the meantime. When it came to song and dance, Arc talked Ben into one dance, then two, then too many to count, until they were dizzy and breathless. 

They danced, they ate cake, they spoke to friends & family, they painted each other with blue war paint -- to get the sheets messy tonight, to show the extent of their strength. It was a perfect day by every account. It was at the wedding night that Arc gifted Ben his wedding present; a massive quilt worked on by half of her village that had her clan's colors on one side and his clan's on the other. It was soft, strong, and big enough to cover a whole family. The wool inside had apparently been sprinkled with nettle herb -- moon plant's greatest enemy. 

Ben sniffed at the blanket, running his fingers along the well-crafted quilt. It was hard not to notice the nettle herb sealed inside, his sensitive nose picking up on it right away. "I know this is a pretty traditional gift, but you'd think with Joan, they'd get we have no trouble making more kids." He threw the blanket over them both, massive enough to cover them both as they curled up by the fire. Her parents had offered to take Joan for their wedding night, the small cabin for just the two of them. He brushed back a lock of stray hair from Arc's face, pressing a kiss to her forehead. The blue warpaint made her look like a wild woman, a goddess from the days of old.

He was a lucky man. Ben took a deep breath, his arm sliding around her as he closed his eyes. His feet ached with the dancing, his stomach was full of cake and food, and he had a good woman--his wife--in his arms. There wasn't much that could make things better, in that moment.

Arc watched her new husband with a small smile on her face, fingers going to trace the hidden line of his jaw. "You could at least say thank you before nodding off to sleep." She murmured, following along in his footsteps though she teased him so. "I took up a bit of sewing just to make sure it was personal. Sewing is really awful, Ben." Harsh words ringing false, Arc settled into giggles and eventually quieted down. After a noisy wedding like their's, she didn't mind that their wedding night was a bit gentler. Her dress was getting crinkled, though, and was ruined from where Ben's blue-painted hands had lingered. When morning came, they'd have to make themselves a touch more presentable. 

Or maybe not. They were just married -- the others would understand. "I'd happily do it for you again, Benjamin. Anything you need, I'll do happily for you, as your wife, your love, and your friend." Arc said, eyes peeking up at him. "My wedding vows were supposed to include a passage saying such, but by the tenth minute I thought you got the general idea. That I love you." A bolder smile graced her lips as Arc leaned up and nibbled his neck. "I love you, Benjamin Kirkwall. Husband." 

"Mm." A happy rumble came from deep in his chest at that little nibble, as he swept her up into his arms. They fell back into the bed, the blue paint still damp and leaving its mark wherever they moved, as he found bare spots of skin to kiss and return the love bites. "Yeah, after five minutes went by, I was wondering if I should've added more to my own vows..." He had kept his short and to the point, sweet and simple. But that was Ben, not wanting to ride it out for more than he needed. His hand ran along her backside, resting at the small of her back as he propped himself up on one arm. "But I love you. You're a Kirkwall now...think you can get used to that?"

"The townspeople have been calling me Mrs. Kirkwall since they saw the ring. I think I'll adjust fine." Arc teased, pulling Ben in for another kiss or two. She brought her hand up and swiped at a bit of the blue paint on his cheekbone, amused when it smeared easily. These sheets were going to have to be burned when they were done. "You may not share my name as I do yours, but you're a Coldiron now too, Ben. What did you think of the weapon Da made for you?" Arc seemed excited to know, but after a moment reeled herself back in. He was a Coldiron in name only, damnit. "....we can maybe talk about that in the morning?" 

"Mm. I can think of a few other things I wanna discuss beyond your father's weaponry." Benjamin said, catching her in a heated kiss as he pressed her back against the bed. Despite the pace of the day, the constant comings and goings, they made the most out of their wedding night, and true to northern tradition, blue was all over the sheets by dawn, with two very happy newlyweds snoring away on top. Ben only stirred when a knock came to the door, quick to tug the sheet over his lower half to look somewhat presentable. The innkeeper's wife left them both a steaming hot plate of food, perfect to start the day.

Their wedding brought about a new era of peace between the two, though strangely enough trying for a second child was becoming something of a chore. Whereas Joan had taken but one night, this second child was putting up a fight and leaving the two newlyweds stumped. It seemed they were to stay a trio after all -- at least until Ben finally got around to presenting Arc with her new shiny matching set of warhammers that Ben reluctantly promised he would try out some day. The very next day, Resm causally pointed out that Arc was pregnant....and the twins were ushered into the world.

It wasn't long before the new generation started to take their hold on the world. Emperor Resm was getting up in his years and eagerly voicing his opinion on retirement. Ben and Arc finally moved from their house in the city to a quiet little house in the woods. Things were falling into place, and Mythos was starting to grow, now that she had healed. Just in time to welcome Princess Bea to the throne. 

Or well, it would be that way, if Resm'iel wasn't rooted in his old traditions...


End file.
